The Animation Industry Podcast – First 200 Epsiodes

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Welcome to the first 200 episodes of the Animation Industry Podcast!

If you’re looking for current episodes, you’ll find them all here: The Animation Industry Podcast

About The Animation Industry Podcast

I started The Animation Industry Podcast in 2018.

I had just been accepted into Sheridan College to study animation, but I wanted to fast-track my career by making industry connections right away.

However, besides my school acceptance portfolio, I had no work to show, which made me feel self conscious about talking to industry professionals – What would I say? What would I show them?

A friend of mine encouraged me to make connections by starting a podcast. He texted me this while I was attending the TAAFI conference. I was ready to take a risk, so I walked up to Fred Seibert after his keynote speech and I asked him if he’d like to be a guest on my new podcast. He said yes and the rest is history.

Since then I’ve run the podcast (almost) every week and am well past 200 episodes.

What benefits has this podcast given me?

  • I know people at every major studio in North America and even across the globe
  • Guests have hooked me up with impossible-to-get connections, allowing me to pitch to broadcasters like HBO, Netflix, Disney, and Cartoon Network
  • Top animators in the field have given me 1×1 critique of my work
  • Guests have coached me on getting client work, negotiating terms, and putting myself in opportunity’s way, which has directly led to jobs
  • I’ve gained jobs from people who only know me from the podcast
  • I’ve gained so much self confidence in my own career journey and know this is the right path for me
  • I’ve made many lasting friendships
  • Many people have emailed to say how certain episodes changed their career outlook, or taught them something new, and that feels amazing!

Here are the First 200 Episodes:

Episode 200: Everything Terry Ibele’s Been Doing Since Quitting Animation School

This chat features Toronto-based stop motion and 2D animator Terry Ibele. Ibele is actually the creator of this podcast and for episode 200, he brings on his good friend Sheldon Koufman to interview him about everything he’s been up to since quitting animation school during the pandemic.

Tune in to Ibele and Koufman to hear:

  • How Ibele’s managed a steady stream of animation work since quitting school
  • Ibele’s philosophy on why stop motion will outlast AI
  • The impact running a podcast can have on your career

Episode 199: How Animation Director Andy Coyle Made Don’t Walk Home Alone After Dark

This chat is featuring Canadian Director Andy Coyle, who is best known for his work on the Annie award-winning Netflix series, Hilda. Besides this, he’s also released his own YouTube series called, “Don’t Walk Home Alone After Dark,” received nearly 200 thousand views right after he uploaded it. He’s going to share how he’s been able to create the series completely in his spare time and how it’s gained so much success so fast.

Tune in to Ibele and Coyle to hear:

  • What Coyle did to land the director role of Hilda
  • Coyle’s plans for the DWHAAD series
  • Coyle’s best advice for those looking to climb the ladder in their animation career

Episode 198: How Stop Mo Animator Harry Chaskin Produced Steel Cut Oats

This chat features Harry Chaskin who’s made a career as a freelance stop motion artist. He’s worked on Netflix’s Buddy Thunderstruck, HBO Max’s Santa Inc, as well as projects for FX and Warner. Recently, Chaskin directed, produced, and animated his 15-minute original stop motion/live action mix film Steel Cut Oats. He reveals how the film was funded through Kickstarter as well as what it took to get some big-name actors involved.

Tune in to Ibele and Chaskin to hear:

  • Chaskin’s tips to get continuous stop motion client work
  • What Chaskin does during dry periods of work that lead to more work
  • Chaskin’s plan to become a director

Episode 197: Development Production Manager Asli Bulu’s Career Journey From Turkey To Canada

This chat features Asli Bulut, a Development Production Manager at Industrial Brothers in Toronto. She shares more of the fancy business side of animation as well as the ins and outs of what she does as a development production manager. She also has an extremely interesting career journey coming from Turkey to pursue animation development in Canada.

Tune in to Ibele and Bulut to hear:

  • What trends development execs are looking for in pitches right now

  • The chance babysitting job that led to Bulut’s animation development career

  • What a development production manager does

Episode 196: Pattama Homrod And Building An Animation Career In Thailand

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This chat features Pattama Homrod, a mixed media artist from Thailand who specializes in stop motion and 2D animation. She is known for her extremely cute films like Little Miss Dungjai, Autumn Was Here and Heads Up!. In this chat she shares her journey of getting into animation in Thailand, including what opportunities exist there for animators, as well as how she’s branched off to follow a freelance career.Tune in to Ibele and Homrod to hear:

  • What type of school Homrod went to in Thailand to get into animation
  • What the industry is like in Thailand
  • What skills allowed Homrod to follow a freelance path

Episode 195: Supv Animation Director Mac Whiting And The Guardians Of The Galaxy Holiday Special

This chat is with Mac Whiting who is the Supervising Animation Director at Warner Bros. Animation. Over his career he’s worked on projects like Harley Quinn, The SpongeBob Movie, Teen Titans Go Vs. Teen Titans, and most recently the Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special. In our chat he shares his journey from pursuing a fine arts degree to getting his first job as a storyboard revisionist and working his way up to director.

Tune in to Ibele and Whiting to hear:

  • What Whiting did to win the Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special animation sequence.
  • The three things Whiting did to move up in his career
  • How Whiting lands coveted freelance roles while working full-time

Episode 194: Spiridon Giannakis And Everything About Art Book Publishing

This chat features German art book publisher Spirodn Giannakis. Giannakis has been working in print media since 2006, but started his own book publishing business in 2017. Since then he’s published nearly two dozen art books featuring prominent illustrators like Yesper Eising, Alex Konstad, and Abigail Larson. He is also the chief editor af CGMA’s magazine ‘NEXUS’ and a creative consultant for events like Playgrounds and Promised Land.

Tune in to Ibele and Giannakis to hear:

  • How to make your work stand out
  • Ways to market your art more effectively
  • The ins and outs of art book publishing
  • Check out Giannakis’ latest work
  • Check out Giannakis’ website

Episode 193: How Turkish Set Designer Merve Çaydere Got To Work At Laika

This chat is with Merve Çaydere, who is a Turkish animation director, designer, and model maker specializing in stop-motion animation. She is currently a Set Designer at Laika Studios, and she recently worked on Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio as well. In their chat, Çaydere shares her journey from Turkey to the United States in pursuit of stop motion set building and all the ups and downs that happened in between.

Tune in to Ibele and Çaydere to hear:

  • How Çaydere moved from Turkey to the US
  • What exactly a stop motion set builder does
  • What to do to get hired as a set designer

Episode 192: Liam Gilbey & The Struggles of Creating an Animation Studio – 3 Years In

This chat is with Cut the Mustard Animation Studio Director Liam Gilbey. Gilbey was featured as a guest on episode 67 of this podcast back in the spring of 2020, when he had just graduated university and was starting Cut the Mustard with a group of friends. Fast forward to today, Gilbey gives an update on how far the studio has come and where it’s going.

Tune in to Ibele and Gilbey to hear:

  • The struggles of finding your footing with a new studio
  • How to find consistent work that will keep you afloat
  • The unique advantage of having multiple owners of the studio
  • Check out Cut the Mustard’s website

Episode 191: How Robert-Jonathan Koeyers Made An Oscar-Shortlisted Film Right Out Of School

This chat features Dutch multidisciplinary artist and filmmaker, Robert-Jonathan Koeyers, who shares the ins and outs of creating his recent 2D animated film, “It’s Nice in Here.” Koyeres studied animation at Rotterdam and this is his first film out of school which premiered at Cannes and has since been Oscar shortlisted.

Tune in to Ibele and Koeyers to hear:

  • How Koeyers received funding to hire a full animation team
  • The secret behind Koeyer’s super-captivating storytelling
  • What the animation industry is like in the Netherlands

Episode 190: Laura Gonçalves Journey To Create The Garbage Man

This chat is with a 2D animator from Portugal named Laura Gonçalves. She is known for animated films like Drop by Drop, Three Weeks in December, and her most recent, The Garbage Man. She shares how she worked with the BAP Animation Studio collective to produce her film.

Tune in to Ibele and Gonçalves to hear:

  • How Gonçalves received funding for her film in Portugal
  • What options you have pursuing animation as a career in Portugal
  • Gonçalves’ complete process to produce her super unique style and story

Episode 189: Eliott Deshusses’ Stop Motion Journey In Germany

This chat features German stop motion animator Eliott Deshusses, who shares what the stop motion industry is like in Germany and how he got into it. Deshusses studied at Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg and has an incredible reel of really fascinating and unique stop motion projects that have included work with some big brands like Audi, Miracle Whip, Universal, and Yamaha.

Tune in to Ibele and Deshusses to hear:

  • What opportunities exist for stop motion animators in Germany
  • How Deshusses got a rep
  • Behind the scenes of Deshusses’ grad film

[SPONSORED MESSAGE]

This episode is sponsored by HUE – makers of colorful, Plug & Play cameras for learning, work and play.

Originally designed for teachers, HUE cameras can also be used for creative activities such as capturing hand-drawn pencil tests and shooting behind-the-scenes footage, time-lapse videos and stop motion animation.

The cameras have flexible, posable necks, manual focus controls and they are compatible with Dragonframe, OBS, Twitch, Zoom and many other camera apps.

Visit huehd.com to learn more and follow @HUEcameras on social media for news, fun and giveaways.

Get 10% off any Hue product from www.huehd.com with code: 10TERRYAIP

Episode 188: How Chris Bailey Worked His Way Up In Disney To Become An Animation Director

This chat features legendary Disney Animator, Chris Bailey, who’s animated on The Little Mermaid, The Rescuers Down Under, The Lion King, and more. Most recently Bailey directed The Great Wolf Pack: A Call to Adventure, Great Wolf Lodge’s first animated feature film – bringing about an interesting discussion around branded animated films.

Tune in to Ibele and Bailey to hear:

  • Bailey’s number one tip to master hand-drawn animation
  • How to go from animator to director
  • Behind-the-scenes of directing The Great Wolf Pack

Episode 187: How Chris Walsh Produced The Stop Motion Film Orchid

This chat features Filmmaker, Faculty of Sheridan College’s Animation Program, and Author of the go-to-book on stop motion filmmaking, Chris Walsh. Walsh shares how he used the pandemic’s lockdown to set up a home stop motion studio and produce an 8-minute film about a skeleton assassin looking to mend a broken heart.

Tune in to Ibele and Walsh to hear:

  • The cost to build a home stop motion studio from scratch
  • The most challenging part about self-producing a short film
  • The number one thing Walsh has learned about storytelling from his years as a professor at Sheridan College

Episode 186: BTS on Wendell & Wild with Animation Supervisors Malcolm Lamont & Jeff Riley

This chat features two seasoned stop motion animators – Malcolm Lamont and Jeff Riley. Together, Lamont and Riley have worked on nearly every major stop motion feature film including Corpse Bride, Coraline, Box Trolls, Kubo, and most recently, Wendell & Wild where they both served as Animation Supervisors. In this chat they share how they worked their way into feature stop motion as well as all the behind-the-scenes of how Wendell & Wild came together.

Tune in to Ibele, Lamont, and Riley to hear:

  • How to get into feature stop motion animation
  • 3 skills you need to be competitive in feature film animation
  • How long from start to finish Wendell & Wild took to produce.

Episode 185: How Future House Is Building Animation Projects In The Metaverse

This chat features Future House Animation Studio’s Director and Animation Supervisor Ryan Bird and Founder Adam Sidwell. In our chat they’re going to share how they’ve been building client projects within the metaverse like virtual concerts, sales meetings, and games, and how they started working in VR in the first place.

Tune in to Ibele, Bird, and Sidwell to hear:

  • How Future House sells clients on Metaverse projects
  • What software you need to build within the Metaverse
  • What sort of animation opportunities the Metaverse offers

[MAGIC MIND INFO]

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Episode 184: How Stephanie Earley Became Lead Editor On Central Park

This chat is with animation editor Stephanie Earley, who’s worked on The Awesomes, Bob’s Burgers, and Central Park. She shares how she got her start as an assistant editor and worked her way up to lead, as well as the ins and outs of the job, including what software studios use, how she makes cuts, and how editors are hired for animation.

Tune in to Ibele and Earley to hear:

  • How much social media plays into becoming a professional animation editor
  • The differences between editing different genres of animation
  • What to do to become an in-demand animation editor

Episode 183: How Yassmine Kairouch Became A Concept Artist In Morocco

This chat features Moroccan concept artist, Yassmine Kairouch, who shares the struggles of pursuing an artistic career in Morocco, and how she began picking up clients for her concept art while studying architecture full time.

Tune in to Ibele and Kairouch to hear:

  • How Kairouch picked up her first clients as an unheard-of artist
  • Kairouch’s plan to dive full-time into concept art as a freelancer
  • The surprising benefits an architecture degree gives you when it comes to concept art

Episode 182: NASA Video Producer And Animator James Tralie

This chat is with Planetary Science Video Producer and Animator, James Tralie, who shares how he took a u-turn from geophysics into animation. Throughout his career he’s also worked with clients like Facebook, Taco Bell, MIT, Marshmello, and Fiji Water – and on top of this he also runs a YouTube channel teaching Blender.

Tune in to Ibele and Tralie to hear:

  • How Tralie broke into the industry with a degree in geophysics
  • What Tralie has done to grow his Instagram to 145K followers
  • What being a NASA animator is like

[SPONSORED MESSAGE]

Use code AIPDomestika40 for 40% off any Domestika course until March 31, 2023.

This episode is sponsored by Domestika, a leader in online creative teaching since 2002. Domestika offers over 2,000 courses on a variety of topics like After Effects, Instagram Brand Strategy, Watercolour Illustration, Time Management for Creatives, and of course, every type of animation you can imagine. For a list of all of their courses, visit www.domestika.org/

Episode 181: Mo Davoudian’s Formula For A Successful Animation Studio

This chat features CEO of Brain Zoo Studios – a studio he founded in LA 27 years ago – Mo Davoudian. During his time at Brain Zoo, Davoudian has worked with clients like Marvel, Guardians of the Galaxy, Call of Duty, and Lego. In this chat he shares what it takes to keep an animation studio ahead of the game after all this time.

Tune in to Ibele and Davoudian to hear:

  • Davoudian’s formula for a successful animation studio
  • How Brain Zoo evolved during the pandemic
  • How Brain Zoo continuously lands big brand clients
  • Check out Brain Zoo Studios’ website

Episode 180: How David Kaye Got Into Voice Acting For Animation

This chat features David Kaye, voice actor extraordinaire. Throughout his career he’s worked on TV shows and movies like Transformers, He-Man, Ben 10, Ducktales, Up, Scooby Doo, and Eternals, plus video games like Assassin’s Creed, Ratchet and Clank, Call of Duty, and Kingdom Hearts. In this chat he shares how he got his start in voice acting, transitioned into animated films, TV shows and video games, and how anyone else with a knack for making voices can do the same.

Tune into Ibele and Kaye to hear:

  • Five simple tips to improve your voice acting
  • How many auditions Kaye does in a week to land just one client
  • How stable of a career voice acting is for those just starting out.

Episode 179: Stop Motion & CG Animator Justin Rasch

This chat features Justin Rasch, a stop motion and CG animator. Over the years Rasch has worked on stop motion productions like Paranorman and Kubo and the Two Strings, and CG productions like Blizzard’s Overwatch and World of Warcraft shorts. In this chat, Rasch shares how he got his start, worked his way up in the animation world, and now how he’s making a name for himself on social media.

Tune in to Ibele and Rasch to hear:

  • What compels Rasch’s perfectionist mindset in everything he does
  • The real career benefits of having a lot of social media followers
  • How rushing a shot taught Rasch a lesson he brought forward his entire career

Social Links:

Episode 178: How Turkish Stop Motion Animator Özgürcan Özdamar Got 4.5 Billion Views On YouTube

This chat features self-taught Turkish stop motion animator Özgürcan Özdamar.

A note about this chat is that Özgürcan Özdamar only speaks Turkish and Terry Ibele only speaks English, so Merve Çaydere, a set designer at Laika, has volunteered to translate back and forth in the interview.

In the chat Özdamar shares how he got his start working on commercials, then branched off to publish his own work on YouTube – receiving more than four billion views for his funny stop motion videos for kids.

Tune in to Özdamar, Çaydere, and Ibele to hear:

  • How Özdamar has animated over 6,000 minutes of stop motion animation
  • How much money Özdamar was making from YouTube on a monthly basis
  • The next big project Özdamar is working on.

Social Links:

Episode 177: How To Get Hired As A Storyboard Revisionist With Dorsa Bidhendi

This chat features storyboard revisionist Dorsa Bidhendi who Terry Ibele met back in 2018 in Sheridan College’s animation program. Bidhendi recently graduated this spring and in this chat she shares how she got her first storyboard revisionist contract fresh out of school.

Tune in to Ibele and Bidhendi to hear:

  • The interesting way Bidhendi got her portfolio to stand out to recruiters
  • What exactly a storyboard revisionist does
  • The advantage having a previous fine arts degree gave Bidhendi in animation school

[SPONSORED MESSAGE]

The stop motion event of the year is back in person this September – Festival Stop Motion Montreal returns to the big screen at Concordia University’s JA De Seve Theater from September 16-18. 75 of the top short films in stop motion cinema were selected to compete this year across 10 different screening programs for the coveted ball-and-socket trophy awards. There’s going to be special guest conferences, exhibitions, meet the filmmakers, networking opportunities, and more to check out.

VIP passes are on sale now; visit http://www.stopmotionmontreal.com/ for more info.

Episode 176: How To Get Hired As A Motion Designer By Veteran Ryan Summers

This chat features Ryan Summers, a veteran motion designer who was just tapped as Senior Creative Director at the creative studio Spillt. Over his career, Summers has worked on projects for Warner Bros, Starbucks, Pokémon, and Google and in this chat he’s going to share how to put together a portfolio to get hired in motion design.

Tune in to Ibele and Summers to hear:

  • The four phases of animation
  • How Summers got his start
  • Summer’s best advice to quick starting a career in motion design today

Social Links:

Episode 175: Eugene Fong’s Shotgun Approach To Switching Careers Into Animation

This chat features Eugene Fong, who Terry Ibele met through a pitching workshop at the Toronto Animated Image Society. What’s interesting about this chat is that Fong is not himself an animator, or even in the animation industry. Instead he does global supply chain as his day job, but he’s currently researching everything he can to make the jump into animation – something Ibele did just a few years ago. So, in this chat you’ll hear them talk about the risks of switching careers later in life, their plans on how to do it, and the shotgun approach Fong is currently undertaking.This is a super interesting chat if you yourself are thinking of switching careers into animation.

Tune in to Ibele and Fong to hear:

  • The unique “shotgun” approach Fong is taking to enter the industry
  • The definition of success Fong is pursuing with animation
  • How to align your personal and career goals

[SPONSORED MESSAGE]

This episode is brought to you by Arcane, the acclaimed Netflix animated TV series that is for your consideration in 2 Emmy Award nominated categories: outstanding animated program and outstanding sound editing for a comedy or drama series and animation. Arcane is produced by Riot Games in partnership with Fortiche Production, and is the winner of 9 Annie Awards, the most of any TV series or film this year.

Episode 174: FlipaClip Founder Marcos Meson & How The App Came To Be

This chat is with Marcos Meson, one of the original founders of the 2D animation app FlipaClip. Meson shares how he started FlipaClip along with his brothers as a side project and grew it into the app that is used by millions today. He also shares what it was like building the team from scratch, how he’s created a very involved international animation community, and their plans for the future of the app.

Tune in to Ibele and Meson to hear:

  • How schools are using FlipaClip
  • Why social media influencers are turning to 2D
  • Why FlipaClip is the entry app for so many 2D animators

Episode 173: Brent Forrest On How He Created Samurai Golf Frog With Marza Animation

This chat features Brent Forrest who has worked as a special effects animator, storyboard artist, director, and is currently a Technical Director at Marza Animation Planet Inc. in Japan. Forrest shares how he created the concept for his short film Samurai Golf Frog, pitched it to Marza, and then worked with them to get funding and produce the full short.

Samurai Golf Frog will premiere at SIGGRAPH on August 8th in Vancouver and at The Virtual Electronic Theater (For those who can’t be there in person) on August 9th. The public release will be September 15th launching simultaneously on CgBros, CgMeetup and the Marza Youtube Channel.

Please note: Marza doesn’t take unsolicited pitches

Tune in to Ibele and Brent to hear:

  • The marketing plan Marza is executing to sell Samurai Golf Frog into a series
  • Forrest’s move from Canada to Japan and what it’s like working for a major studio there
  • The unique way Marza and Forrest received funding for Samurai Golf Frog

Social Links:

Episode 172: Fu Yang And Johnny Knittle On How They Created The Nice Shorts Animation Podcast

This chat features the Nice Shorts animation podcast cohosts Fu Yang and Johnny Knittle. Besides interviewing animators on their short film process, Fu Yang is an award-winning stop motion and 2D animator and Johnny Knittle is a music composer who focuses his talents on concert hall works and animated short films. In their chat, Yang and Knittle share the behind-the-scenes of running an animation podcast as well as their ins and outs of their careers.

Tune in to Yang, Knittle and Ibele to hear:

  • How they started their first episode
  • Yang’s plan to teach stop motion animation to kids
  • How Yang and Knittle met

Episode 171: How Eric Larson Fast – Tracked His Animation Career Using The Freelancer’s Manifesto

This chat features Eric Larson, a freelance illustration and motion graphics designer who shares how he went from a professional ballet dancer into animation. He also shares how he’s modeled his career after Joey Korenman’s The Freelance Manifesto: A Field Guide for the Modern Motion Designer, which helped fasttrack him to where he is today.

Tune in to Ibele and Larson to hear:

  • Which course Larson took to learn motion graphics
  • How Larson prices out his work
  • The number one way Larson sets himself up so opportunities knock at his door

Social Links:

Episode 170: Director Mike Caron On The Live-Action/Animation Mix Fairly OddParents: Fairly Odder

This chat features Mike Caron, a seasoned Nickelodeon Director and Producer known for his work on Game Shakers, Henry Danger, and most recently, Fairly OddParents: Fairly Odder. Caron shares how he worked his way up from an actor on The Young and the Restless to Directing some of Nickelodeon’s biggest shows. He also shares the unique pipeline they created for the live-action/animation mix on Fairly Odder, as well as the technique they developed to get the actors interacting with the animated characters in the most dynamic way possible.

Tune in to Ibele and Caron to hear:

  • How to reinvent yourself at any time in the entertainment industry
  • The mentality Caron adopted that pushed him further to success
  • The live-action/animation storyboarding process on Fairly Odder

Episode 169: Gobelins Student Lava Hijzelaar’s Process To Pencil & Paper Animation

This chat features Dutch hand-drawn animator Lava Hijzelaar. Currently she is a student at the renowned Gobelins in Paris and in this chat she’s going to share how she got accepted as an international student and was able to completely skip first year. Plus Hijzelaar will explain why she began to prefer pencil and paper to digital animation and the benefits that come with that.

Tune in to Ibele and Hijzelaar to hear:

  • 3 skills pencil and paper animation teaches you that digital does not
  • Hijzelaar’s entire animation process from start to finish
  • The conference she attended that changed her life (and got her accepted into Gobelins)

Episode 168: Cantastoria – How 11 Students Created A Stop Mo Film Remotely During The Pandemic

This chat features four stop motion animators, Stephen Belford, Anna Harestad, Heather Little, and Tawny Therrien, who were part of the 11-person team who created Cantastoria, an award-winning stop motion film produced at Sheridan College during the pandemic. Together, they share the challenges of producing a stop motion film remotely, as well as some of the unique solutions they came up with to complete the film.

Tune in to Ibele, Belford, Harestad, Little, and Therrien to hear:

  • Why the group chose to create a stop motion film in a predominantly 2D animation school
  • How they used story to make a remote pipeline work more cohesively
  • Tips on making a stop motion studio space in your bedroom

Episode 167: How Chris Rodgers Is Building A Stop Mo Studio In South Korea

This chat features Chris Rodgers, who is a stop motion animator living and building a studio in South Korea. Over the years Rodgers has worked on projects for Frederator, The Lego Movie, and Big 5, a South Korean children’s program. In this chat, Rodgers shares why he made the journey from the USA to build his career in South Korea.

Tune in to Ibele and Rodgers to hear:

  • What opportunity made Rodgers pack up his bags in the USA and pursue stop motion in South Korea
  • What the South Korean stop motion industry is like
  • How Rodgers stays connected to USA-based projects while overseas

Episode 166: Grahaeme Cowie And The Cost To Produce His Award Winning Short Film

This chat is with 2D animator and storyboard artist Grahaeme Cowie, who is most recently known for his short film, “Everything is Going to Be Okay.” Cowie’s skills have been sought after by animation powerhouses like WildBrain and Titmouse and in this chat he shares how he worked his way up to animation supervisor, then threw that all away to start over from scratch as a storyboard artist.

Tune in to Ibele and Cowie to hear:

  • How to completely self fund your own film (and get noticed for it!)
  • The single most important thing to focus on as a new storyboard artist
  • The mentality you need to reinvent yourself

Episode 165: Karen And Bill On Animating Maxxie LaWow – The First Drag Queen Superhero Film

This chat is with Karen and Bill Drastal, the co-founders behind the Chubby Beagle animation studio. Karen and Bill are both seasoned animators, having worked in 2D, production, storyboarding, and directing with companies like Google, Bento Box, and Warner Brothers. In this chat they share how they came to work on the first ever drag queen superhero feature film, Maxxie LaWow.

Tune in to Ibele and the Drastals to hear:

  • Where Maxxie LaWow got its funding
  • What it took to start their own studio
  • How each of them go their break in the industry

[SPONSORED MESSAGE]

This episode is sponsored by Snowlands, a brand new full-color graphic novel series for animal fantasy fans, featuring snow leopards and arctic wolves on a wild adventure through a snow-covered mountain range. Shifty lynxes, secret monkey tribes, singing Pallas cats and a cult of sheep are just a few of what the heroes of Snowlands run into on their journey. This is a perfect book for Readers who love Erin Hunter’s Warriors or Tui T. Sutherland’s Wings of Fire series.

This premium hardcover book is only $19.99, and since it was created by Morr Meroz, the guy behind the animation training website Bloop Animation, you can now get $25 credit to any Bloop Animation course when you buy the book. So if you thought about getting any of their courses, get this book first and get your $25 credit. It’s kinda like getting the book for free.

To get this deal go to www.bloopanimation.com/terry

Social Links:

Episode 164: How Luis Ribeiro Became An Executive Producer At LOBO Animation Studio

This chat features Luis Ribeiro, who is currently a Partner and Executive Producer at LOBO, the creative design, 2D, 3D, and stop motion animation studio based out of São Paulo and New York. Over the years Ribeiro has worked with brands like Coca-Cola, Disney, and 7Up and in this chat he shares his journey from Brazil to the USA and how he prioritized risky career moves to become the producer he is today.

Tune in to Ibele and Ribeiro to hear:

  • The surprising skill that will have opportunities knocking at your door
  • How to get into animation producing and work your way up the ranks
  • How to keep your studio ahead of the game and wow clients

Episode 163: How Karen Disher Became The First Female Director At Blue Sky

This episode features Karen Disher, who was the first female Director and Story Artist at Blue Sky Studios where she worked on Robots, Ice Age: Dawn on the Dinosaurs, and Ferdinand. Currently she is the Creative Director in Development at Spire where she’s working on their new feature film. In this chat she’s going to share how she got her start, what she’s learned about story and where to find the confidence to build your own path.

Tune in to Ibele and Disher to hear:

  • The chance way Disher got to design the characters in Daria
  • The skill that will send new opportunities your way
  • How to actively work your way up the corporate-animation-ladder

Episode 162: How Jace Wertz Quit His Retail Job To Get Into Stop Motion

This episode features stop motion animator Jace Wertz, who quit his job in retail to pursue his dreams of becoming a professional filmmaker. Since then he’s set up a complete studio in his home and has gone on to become a stop motion animator, cg animator, editor, director, audio wizard, and more. In fact, he was recently featured in a WEDU Arts Plus documentary and his work on the Chompin’ Stompin’ music video was nominated for a webby this year.

Tune in to Ibele and Wertz to hear:

  • The change in mindset that opened the doors of opportunity for Wertz
  • The exact equipment needed to create a home stop motion studio
  • How it took 3 years to make the Chompin’ Stompin’ music video

Episode 161: How Independent Animator Jeremy Nixon Manufactures Social Media Fame

This episode features London-based 2D animator Jeremy Nixon of Instagram and TikTok Fame. Over the years Jeremy has worked with brands like Amazon Prime, Dell, and Modern Wolf to create animated loops, music videos, and game trailers. In this chat Nixon shares his climb to social media fame and his strategy to make it as an independent animator.

Tune in to hear:

  • Nixon’s social media strategy
  • How Nixon gets gigs with big clients
  • Nixon’s tips for using TV paint for 2D animation

[SPONSORED MESSAGE]

This episode is sponsored by TV Paint.

Created in 1991 by Hervé Adam, TV Paint was developed to create digital 2D animations as closely as possible to hand-drawn animation and to make it accessible to everyone.

Now used by artists, animation schools, and major film studios all over the world, including Cartoon Saloon who used it to create their feature film Wolfwalkers, TV Paint has many powerful tools that can imitate real-life painting and drawing techniques like gouache, watercolor, pencil, and more.

So, if you’d like to try TV Paint for yourself, head on over to TVPaint.com to begin your free trial now.

Start your free trial now

Episode 160: How DM Galloway Animates Action Figures For A Living

This episode features independent stop motion animator D.M. Galloway, who animates action figures for a living. Over the years he’s worked with brands like TMNT, Iron Man, Halo, and Captain America, and in this chat he’s going to share where it all began.

Tune in to Ibele and Galloway to hear:

  • How Galloway grew a following of over 100K subscribers on YouTube from scratch
  • How Galloway manages to make brand deals
  • What goes into to creating action figure stop motion animation

[SPONSORED MESSAGE]

This episode is sponsored by Cloud Stop Motion who’ve created possibly the easiest way to start animating from your phone, tablet, laptop, or desktop in seconds. Simply go to cloudstopmotion.com and click “start animating”. Their software works in any modern browser and your files are instantly saved to the cloud. The best part is that they are completely free to use up to 500mb of storage, which is actually quite a lot. They’re especially useful if you’re teaching a class since you can create an organization account which comes with 2GB of free storage as standard, and allows the creation of unlimited student groups and profiles, all of whose projects and work you can view for yourself from your admin account.
​
Go to cloudstopmotion.com to see how easy it is to get started now.

Episode 159: Alba Medinyà’s Journey From Spain To Canada In Pursuit Of Stop Motion

This episode features Spanish illustrator and 2D/stop motion animator Alba Medinyà, who in 2018 decided to leave Spain and pursue an animation career in Canada. In this chat, she details the entire process from leaving Europe, finding stop motion animation work in Canada, and then her ultimate decision to move back to Spain in 2021.

Tune in to Ibele and Medinyà to hear:

  • What the visa process is like from Europe to Canada
  • How she connected with studios when she didn’t know anyone (or even the language)
  • The ups and downs of pursuing your dream in a foreign country

Episode 158: How Christian Haynes Is Creating His Independent Series Zack In Time

This episode features artist and animator (and Danny Phantom fan art enthusiast) Christian Haynes. In this chat, Haynes shares his journey to get his own original series, Zack in Time, off the ground.

Tune in to Ibele and Haynes to hear:

  • How Haynes assembled a team to work on Zack in Time
  • Hayne’s thoughts on animation school vs learning on your own
  • How to get the right type of feedback to improve your art

Episode 157: How Chelsea Lee Changed Up Careers From Professional Dancer To Stop Motion Animator

This episode features Toronto and New York based stop motion animator and filmmaker Chelsea Lee. In the past Lee has worked with brands like Bank of America, Hennessy, and Pinterest, and also productions like Ultra City Smiths, and Benny’s Mini World. In this chat Lee shares her journey from professional dancer into the art of animation.

You’ll also learn:

  • Her biggest tips to impress new clients
  • How to show confidence when something goes wrong (and you don’t know what you’re doing)
  • What it was like being pregnant and animating on a stop motion television show

[SPONSORED MESSAGE]

This episode is sponsored by HUE, makers of colorful, affordable USB cameras and animation software for creative teaching, work and play.

Available from huehd.com and Amazon, the new HUE HD Pro camera features 1080p image and video resolution, a built-in microphone and LED lights.

HUE’s funky, flexible, Plug & Play cameras are easy-to-use and they are compatible with any apps that recognize USB cameras including Discord, Dragonframe, OBS, Twitch, Google Meet, Zoom and many more.

In fact, if you go to YouTUbe and watch my interview with laura, I’m actually using a Hue camera as my webcam, so you can see what it’s like firsthand there.

Visit www.huehd.com for more information and follow @HUEcameras on Instagram or Twitter for news, freebies and giveaways!

Check out Lee’s website
Follow Benny’s Mini World on Instagram

Episode 156: How Laurie Rowan Made His Unique Animation Style Super Sought-After

This episode features animator, artist, and director, Laurie Rowan, who is renowned for his quirky, loopy, and cute 3D animation style. Over the years clients like Google, the BBC, MTV, and others have commissioned custom pieces from Rowan. He’s also racked up numerous accolades including a Children’s Bafta win, a Lovie Award, and the super-coveted Vimeo Staff Pick. In this chat Rowan shares how he left his job to pursue is own animation style, which went viral on social media, launching his independent career.

Tune in to Ibele and Rowan to hear:

  • How to brand yourself as an independent artist to get noticed by big brands
  • What gave Rowan the courage to break away from mainstream animation and do his own thing
  • The post that made Rowan go viral (and how you can recreate it)

Episode 155: How Meaghan Hettler Got Into Puppet Fabrication As A Career

This chat features puppet, set, and prop fabricator, stop motion animator, and super cool cosplay artist, Meaghan Hettler. In their chat, Hettler shares how she trained as a puppet fabricator, how she got her first paid gig, and how she continues to pursue her dream career of making crafts for a living.

You’ll also learn:

  • What made Hettler switch gears from animator to fabricator
  • Where to learn how to use all the complex materials needed for puppet fabrication
  • How much a felted puppet for a professional production can cost

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Episode 154: Mercury Filmworks Chief Content Officer Heath Kenny & How To Leap From Maker To Manager

This episode features animator, writer, producer, development executive and currently the Chief Content Officer at Ottawa-based Mercury Filmworks, Heath Kenny. His current role at Mercury sees him managing the development team and heads up their content strategy, but in the past he’s worked on projects like Robot Boy, the Gorillaz music videos, and Noddy Toyland Detective. In our chat he’s going to share his journey from New Zealand to Canada as well as exactly how to make the leap from maker to manager.

You’ll also learn:

  • 3 helpful questions you can ask yourself if you feel stuck in your career
  • What Heath did to get into the industry at a time when there wasn’t much of an industry
  • How Heath evaluates pivotal decisions to choose the best path career-wise

Episode 153: 3D Character Animator Ayoub Moulakhnif On Building His Career In Morocco

Check out the Hello Stop Mo Podcast: animationwildcard.com/hellostopmo

This episode features Moroccan self-taught 3D animator, Ayoub Moulakhnif who teaches at AnimSchool and works as a character animator at Axis Studios. In their chat Moulakhnif shares what the animation industry is like in Morocco, including what opportunities exist, how to find determination to pursue your dreams even when they seem impossible, and how he ended up going from student to teacher at AnimSchool (plus everything you wanted to know about that program).

You’ll also learn:

  • How to train as an animator in Morocco
  • 3 tips to increase your artistic self-discipline
  • What Moulakhnif did to get ahead of his class and become a teacher himself

Social Links:

Episode 152: How Hero4Hire Head Of Development Jordan Beck Produced And Distributed Sgt. Stubby

This chat features Jordan Beck, the Head of Development for Hero4Hire Creative, a commercial and TV development animation studio. In our chat Jordan is going to share how he went from working at an Infantry Museum to fully producing and distributing the multiple award-winning independent feature film Sgt. Stubby, including how he helped raise $25 million towards the show’s budget. He’s also going to share everything you ever wanted to know about how film distribution works in North America and what an everyday person can do to maximize their chance of success getting your film into traditional cinemas.

You’ll also learn:

  • What kind of ideas make studios enter development
  • The number one skill needed to get into a development role
  • How much it costs to get a film distributed in cinemas

[SPONSORED MESSAGE]

This episode is sponsored by Clip Studio Paint, which is the artists’ app for tablets, computers and smartphones, perfectly suited for drawing and painting, and to create a wide range of content. With a wealth of unique features, it helps to create anything from illustrations over manga to concept art and animation. Whether professional or hobbyist, Clip Studio Paint’s natural drawing feel, along with its comic, manga and webtoon features, is loved by artists from around the world.

Visit Clip Studio Paint to learn more

Social Links:

Episode 151: How Derek Gerber Sells Animated Explainer Videos To Businesses (And Is Really Good At It)

This episode features Derek Gerber, who is the Senior Vice President of Explainy, which makes animated explainer videos for sales, marketing, and training purposes. Before diving into the world of corporate animation videos, Gerber’s previous experience lies in robotic process and intelligent automation, but he started his career down the hall from Cartoon Network, which perhaps had an influence on him switching gears to help run an animation company.

You’ll also learn:

  • The three pillars of running a success animation studio
  • How to get really really good at video search engine optimization
  • The loophole way to get hired at Explainify

Episode 150: How James Kerr Has Run A Successful Stop Motion Studio In The UK For 20 Years

This episode features UK stop motion animator and producer, James Kerr, who dropped out of university to start his own stop motion animation studio called Kerrupt Animation. Twenty years later, Kerrupt Animation is still going strong, having worked with clients like Paw Patrol, Teletubbies, Polly Pocket, and more. Kerr’s story is one of perseverance, incredible luck, and a dash of misfortune along the way.

Tune in to Ibele and Kerr to hear:

  • How to get your first clients as a new animation studio
  • The product-market fit that has kept Kerrupt successful
  • What the day-to-day operations of a small-team-run studio is like

Social Links:

Episode 149: How Vince Commisso Made 9Story The #1 Children’s Content Producer In Canada

This episode features Vince Commisso, founder of 9 Story Media Group, Canada’s #1 producer and distributor of children’s content. In our chat, Vince shares his journey from leaving Nelvana to produce his first show, Peep in the Big Wide World. Since then he has employed a unique strategy to help 9 Story grow to over 1,100 employees today, producing shows like Ada Twist, Scientist, Blue’s Clues and You!, and Ridley Jones.

You’ll also learn:

  • What it takes to really be a successful producer
  • The basic business model any production company can employ
  • Vince’s predictions for kid’s media trends in 2022

Episode 148: How Twight Is Entering The Animation Industry As An Independent Artist

This episode is with Memphis, Tennessee artist Twight, an aspiring animator who shares his “eureka moment” that propelled him to pursue a career in animation. In this chat he covers what he’s doing to pick up the necessary skills in animation, storyboarding, script writing, and character design on his own, as well as his process to create an independently animated television show.

Tune in to Ibele and Twight to hear:

  • 3 key ways Twight is picking up animation skills while working full time
  • The biggest obstacles independent artists face entering the industry
  • Twight’s strategy to start his own studio

Social links:

Episode 147: Rachel Gitlevich Shares How Titmouse New York Unionized In 2022

This episode features 2D Character Animator, Rachel Gitlevich, who also headed up the unionization of Titmouse New York in January 2022. In this chat Rachel shares the history of animation studio unions, how Titmouse unionized, and resources and information for others interested in unionizing their animation workplace. Besides all this, Rachel has over ten years experience in character animation working on projects for Netflix, Disney, Cartoon Network, YouTube, and of course Titmouse.

You’ll also learn:

  • Ten questions to ask your coworkers to gauge their interest in unionizing
  • Exactly what it means to unionize an animation studio (the pros and cons)
  • The two (out of three) skills animators need to master in order to get ahead in their careers
  • Check out Rachel’s work on Vimeo
  • Look up: Drawing the Line: The Untold Story of the Animation Unions from Bosko to Bart Simpson, by Tom Sito
  • Link to the Animation Guild
  • Check out Amaze.org

Episode 146: Show Creator Ali Kellner on How to Create a Winning Pitch Bible

This episode features Toronto animator Ali Kellner who does a little bit of everything in the industry. She’s a storyboard artist, writer, animator, director, and show creator. In this chat Ali focuses on how she turned her original show idea, Melrose Middle School, into a multiple festival competition winning pitch.

You’ll also learn:

  • The five crucial elements that make your show pitch a success
  • The ins and outs of option agreements
  • The secret sauce to writing a compelling character for TV animation

Episode 145: Adam Rosenberg And The Most Ambitious Pixilation Project Ever

This episode features Adam Rosenberg who is a filmmaker, director, editor, and animator living in Colorado. He’s directed and animated on dozens of music videos, commercials, and short films, in fact his work has screened at nearly 100 festivals worldwide. His current project, Alphabetical Athleticalz just might be the most ambitious pixilation there is and in our chat he’s going to share all the behind-the-scenes on how it’s coming together.

You’ll also learn:

  • Five surprising tips to take your pixelation to the next level
  • Where Rosenberg has gotten funding to make his short films
  • Rosenberg’s best advice to make your short films stand out

Episode 144: Alex Plapinger Shares How To Become An Animation Executive Producer

This episode features animation Executive Producer Alex Plapinger. Recently Plapinger produced a series of shorts for FXX’s Cake including Swan Boy, The Beings, and The Dream. In the past Plapinger has worked on a number of projects for both television and short film including Water Bear, Desert Island, All Star Party, Plankton, and Piggy. In this chat Plapinger is going to share the ins and outs of how to become an executive producer for animation.

You’ll also learn

  • How to get so good at your job that your phone will start ringing on its own
  • What 99% of your role as a producer ends up being (and how to excel at it)
  • The most important budgeting decisions you’ll have to make

Social Links:

Episode 143 :How William Allinson Gets Stop Motion Gigs In Toronto

This episode features Stop Motion Animator William Allinson and how he’s built his career in Toronto. Allison has animated on projects like New Math, Dad Fight, Canadian Tire spots, and Ultra City Smiths.

You’ll also learn:

  • How Bill has survived as an independent animator in Toronto
  • What Bill has learned about self-promo to pick up new gigs
  • Bill’s plans to create and sell a stop motion web series

Episode 142: How Isaac King Established A Stop Motion Career In Toronto

This episode features Toronto stop motion animator Isaac King who shares how he established himself in Toronto and has been able to produce multiple award winning short films.

You’ll also learn:

  • Isaac’s formula for festival success
  • The unique (and new??) type of animation Isaac is pursuing an MFA in
  • How to apply to government art grants in Canada

Episode 141: How Swanboy Creator Branson Reese Turned His Webcomic Into An Animated Series For Cake

This chat features comic artist, writer, actor, producer, and comedian, Branson Reese who shares how he turned his comic Swanboy into an animated series for FXX’s Cake.

You’ll also learn:

  • How to self publish and put yourself out there
  • Branson’s top tips when pitching to industry producers
  • The role social media has played into his success as an artist

Episode 140: How Reza Farazmand Pitched Poorly Drawn Lines Into An FXX Animated Series

This episode features Reza Farazmand, creator of the popular webcomic Poorly Drawn Lines. In this chat Reza shares how he was able to pitch and produce Poorly Drawn Lines into an animated series as part of FXX’s Cake.

You’ll also learn:

  • How Reza is able to sustain himself entirely from his webcomic
  • The secret formula to creating a relatable, lasting comic that everyone loves
  • How Reza translated comic panels into animated personalities

Episode 139: CG Animator Brian Kouhi On How To Enter The Industry & Take Care Of Your Finances

This episode features CG Animator Brian Kouhi, who shares how he’s worked on projects like Maya and the Three, Abby Hatcher, and Paw Patrol. Besides this, he also runs a popular YouTube tutorial channel called 3D Animation Hub, and he’s launching a Blender learning platform called TOAnimate.ca.

You’ll also learn:

  • How to manage your finances as an animator
  • Brian’s number one piece of advice for those looking to get into CG animation
  • What it’s taken to launch an animation learning platform from scratch

Episode 138: Kevin Smithers On How To Build A Career In Animation Music And Songwriting

This episode features award-winning multi-instrumentalist composer, arranger and songwriter, Kevin Smithers, who composed the score for the upcoming HBO, Mexican stop motion animation television series Frankelda. Besides Frankelda, Kevin has also worked on Mira, Royal Detective, Victor and Valentina, and Monster Island.

You’ll also learn:

  • How Kevin got into composing and songwriting for animation
  • Which connections led to working on Frankelda
  • The ins and outs of a career in animation music

Episode 137: Animation Editors Lawrence And Ernesto Share How They Worked On LOL’s Arcane

This episode features the dynamic editing duo, Lawrence Gan and Ernesto Matamoros-Cox who recently finished up work on the Netflix animated series Arcane. Gan previously edited on Space Jam 2, and has worked on numerous projects for Warner Bros, Paramount, and Disney. Matamoros-Cox has worked on DreamWorks’ TV series Dragons: Defends of Berk, the Netflix special Alien X-Mas, and is a two-time Annie-nominee.

You’ll also learn:

  • How to break into editing for animation
  • What skills to focus on to be in-demand
  • How to keep a steady stream of projects flowing your way

Episode 136: Stop Motion Animator Samu Mariani On The Industry In Brazil

This episode features Brazilian Stop Motion Animator Samu Mariani who shares what the stop motion industry is like in Brazil and how he ended up working on the award-winning feature film Bob Spit – We Do Not Like People.

You’ll also learn:

  • Which animation festivals to stay connected with in South America
  • How to become a professional stop motion animator in Brazil
  • How to connect with other animators in South America

Episode 135: How Stop Mo Animator Kyla Atlas Created A Studio In Toronto

This chat features Kyla Atlas, a Toronto-based stop motion animator who is also the co-founder of See You On the Moon animation studio. Kyla shares her journey into stop motion, what it’s like running her own business, and how she got to work on Ultra City Smiths at the new Stoopid Buddy Stoodios in Toronto. And as a bonus, Nicole Honderich, my former Stoopid Buddy Studio coworker is also joining me to interview Kyla.

You’ll also learn:

  • How Kyla picks up animation gigs
  • How demanding running an independent studio can be
  • Why Kyla put her business on hold to work at Stoopid Buddy Stoodios

Episode 134: Austin Faber’s Unusual Path To Becoming A Netflix Story Artist

This chat is with Netflix Story Artist Austin Faber, who shares his journey from making comics in community college to ending up at Disney and then Netflix.

You’ll also learn:

  • What it was like being a black student in a predominately white animation school
  • The unusual method that pushed Austin to excel in storyboarding.
  • How Austin got hired at Netflix

Episode 133: How Aaron Augenblick Produced Superjail!, Teenage Euthanasia, And Swan Boy

This episode features Aaron Augenblick, animator, producer, director, and founder of Brooklyn-based Augenblick Studios who shares how he founded his studio and built up his client base.

You’ll also learn:

  • How Aaron keeps the studio fresh after 22 years of business
  • The unique post-pandemic culture Aaron is building at his studi
  • How Aaron picked up Teenage Euthanasia

Episode 132: How Stop Motion Animator Cristal Buemi Built Her Career In Toronto

This chat features stop motion animator Cristal Buemi who shares her journey into creating her career in Toronto. Throughout her career, she’s worked on projects like Below Her Mouth, Party for One, Ultra City Smiths, and Gaea.

You’ll also learn:

  • How Cristal made the right connections to work on Ultra City Smiths
  • 5 top tips to avoid injuries on the job
  • Everything you wanted to know about working with TAIS

Episode 131: Arlo The Alligator Boy Creator Ryan Crego’s Animation Career Journey

This episode features Director/Producer Ryan Crego who created the Netflix 2D animated feature film Arlo the Alligator Boy. In this chat Ryan shares his journey from story artist at Dreamworks to getting to create his own film at Netflix.

You’ll also learn:

  • 3 great tips to avoid burnout in animation
  • Ryan’s underlying motivation that leads him to new and amazing opportunities
  • Ryan’s version of success that drives him to create amazing stories

Episode 130: How Laura Tofarides Started Her Career From Scratch To Animate On Isle Of Dogs

This episode features stop motion animator Laura Tofarides, who is known for her work on Isle of Dogs, Early Man, Love Death + Robots, Robin Robin, and Kiri & Lou. In this chat, Laura shares how she went from a Runner on Chuck Steel and everything she did in between to become a super stellar, full-time stop motion animator.

You’ll also learn:

  • What you need to showcase in your work to work on feature films
  • The number one reason to specialize in an area of stop motion
  • How to actively further your career in stop motion and become in demand

Episode 129: How Stop Motion Animator Lindsay Berkebile Moved From TV To Feature Film

This chat features Stop Motion Animator Lindsay Berkebile. Lindsay’s ten-year career has spanned commercials, televisions, and more recently feature film as she is now animating on Henry Selick’s Wendell and Wild.

You’ll also learn:

  • How Linsday got her start in stop motion
  • The number one thing Linsday did to move from TV to feature film animation
  • The show Linsday is currently pitching

Episode 128: How Greg Franklin Ended Up Directing Tig Notaro’s Drawn

This chat features Greg Franklin, Co-Founder and Creative Director at Six Point Harness Studios. Throughout his 20-year career in animation, Franklin has worked on many award-winning projects including the Oscar-winning Hair Love, Guava Island, and Cosmos with Neil Degrasse Tyson. In this chat, he shares what it was like founding a studio and keeping it running for nearly two decades.

You’ll also learn:

  • How Franklin turned a professional wrestling career into animation
  • The mindset that’s kept his business going for 20 years
  • The crazy backstory to how Tig Notaro’s Drawn got animated

Episode 127: Justin Weg On How To Become A Professional CG Character Animator

This chat features senior character animator Justin Weg who shares his journey into CG character animation. Justin has worked on films like Rio, Spies in Disguise, The Peanut’s Movie, and Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs. He is also a teacher at Animschool, teaching class 5 on character performance, and on the side he is a stop motion hobbyist.

You’ll also learn:

  • What it was like working at Blue Sky during the closure
  • What Justin did to get his first job in CG animation
  • The number one thing he tells his students to work on

Episode 126: The Dynamic Duo Who Boarded + Composed Tom And Jerry In New York

This episode features Story Arist Keith Baxter and Music Composer Greg Sims. Keith has worked as a director, songwriter, character designer, 2D and 3D animator, and story artist on previous projects like Flushed Away and The Croods. Greg has worked in television on Oprah and Dr. Oz as well as animated film like The Lion of Judah. In this chat they share the unique way they created the boards for Tom and Jerry in New York.

You’ll also learn:

  • How Keith made the switch from music school into animation
  • How Greg made his break from television music into animated film
  • The two biggest skills that have made them invaluable to work with
  • Find Greg on LinkedIn
  • Check out Greg’s website here
  • Find Keith on LinkedIn
  • Watch Keith’s Cheesemonger here
  • Check out Keith’s YouTube channel here

Episode 125: Pixar Story Artist Ted Mathot Shares The Secret Formula To A Compelling Story

This episode features Create Director of Spire Studios, Ted Mathot. Mathot spent over 20 years as a story artist at Pixar working on some of their biggest films like The Incredibles, Cars, Ratatouille, and Wall-E. In this chat, he shares everything he’s learned to make compelling stories audiences eat up.

You’ll also learn:

  • The book Mathot read that helped him move from Story Artist to Supervisor
  • The number one piece of feedback Mathot gives Story Artists
  • The secret formula to a boarding a compelling scene

Episode 124: How Marty Cooper Built An Animation Career Off Social Media

This episode features Marty Cooper, a feature storyboard artist turned social media animator. Over the years Marty has created pieces for Wendys, Nike, Will Smith, Rick and Morty, and even the Biden 2020 Campaign. In this chat he shares his journey from full-time studio work, to building up his career as a freelance animator through social media.

You’ll also learn:

  • How Marty originally went viral with his animation on YouTube
  • The pros and cons of being your own boss
  • His strategy for finding success in his career through social media

Episode 123: Vikkal Parikh’s Journey From Architecture In India To Owning An Animation Studio In NYC

This episode features animator and Ataboy Studios owner, Vikkal Parikh. Originally Parikh pursued a career as an architect in India, but realized working in the animation industry would be much more fulfilling. So, in the early 2000s he decided to make the switch and applied to SCAD. In this chat, Parikh shares the challenges of making the journey from India to the US as well as starting his own studio in New York.

You’ll also learn

  • How to win commercial projects without compromising on budget
  • The secret formula to selling an ad
  • Where the future of animation advertising is heading

Episode 122: Michael Surrey Shares His Big Break Into Disney And How He Worked His Way Up

This episode features veteran Disney animator and current Creative Director of Story and Animation at Spire Animation Studios, Michael Surrey. In this chat, Surrey shares how he got his big break at Disney in the 90s, how he worked his way up the animation ranks, and what he learned about pursuing a lasting and fulfilling career in animation without burnout.

You’ll also learn:

  • How to make yourself invaluable when you’re just starting out
  • The mindset you need to get into to make a character perform naturally
  • His best advice for those looking to have a long career in animation

Episode 121: Stop Motion Animator dina Amin & How She Built Her Career From Scratch In Egypt

This episode features Egyptian stop motion animator dina Amin, who reveals how quitting her job and deconstructing appliances led to a full time career in stop motion.

You’ll also learn:

  • How to make it as a stop motion animator in Egypt
  • What you need to give up to truly follow something you love
  • What dina does to get new client work

Episode 120: What 26 Years At Pixar Taught Shawn Krause

This episode features Shawn Krause, the Creative Director of Animation and Story at Spire Studios. Krause brings with him more than two decades of experience working as an animator and animation supervisor at Pixar, which he shares in this chat.

You’ll also learn:

  • Why Pixar hired him only one year into CalArts
  • The number one piece of advice Krause gives to animation newbies
  • What it was like working at Pixar before the Toy Story days

Episode 119: VFX Production Manager Wahid Ibn Reza’s Career Move From Bangladesh To Canada

This episode features writer, director, and VFX/Animation Production Manager Wahid Ibn Reza. Originally from Bangladesh, Reza became an accomplished actor before deciding to give up everything to pursue a film career in Vancouver, Canada. In this chat, Reza shares the impact that decision had and the unheard-of risks he took that led to big career payoffs.

You’ll also learn:

  • How to become top-of-mind for new production roles
  • The must-needed skills to develop for a successful production management role
  • How to get into exclusive meetings with higher-ups

Episode 118: Steve Angel On Running Headgear Animation Studio For 24 Years

This episode features Co-founder and Director of Toronto-based Head Gear Animation. Since its inception in 1997, Head Gear has worked with world-class clients like Nestlé, Ikea, Kellogg’s, and Sesame Workshop, and has garnered a long list of awards for their work in stop motion, 2D, live-action, and puppetry. In this chat, Angel shares how he quickly went from animator, to director, to starting his own studio, and all the ups and downs that has brought over the last two decades.

You’ll also learn:

  • How to start your own professional studio on a dime
  • The secret sauce to staying in business (successfully) in the long term
  • The number one way to sell a new client on stop motion

Episode 117: Stop Motion Director Sinem Sakaoglu On Building A Career In Germany

Watch the teaser for Kara here

This chat features Turkish/American/German stop motion film, commercial, and music video director, Sinem Sakaoglu. She shares what it was like moving from Turkey to the US and finally Germany in pursuit of a creatively fulfilling animation career.

You’ll also learn:

  • The unique funding structure in Europe which allows directors to produce feature films
  • Sinem’s path from businesswoman to stop motion director
  • How to consistently land work when you’re competing with every other country in Europe for projects

Episode 116: Stop Motion Animator Max Winston On Running An Independent Studio

This episode features stop motion animator Max Winston (of I Live in the Woods fame) who shares his journey into running his own independent stop motion studio, RatBat studios.

He also shares:

  • How he landed clients like Cartoon Network
  • Three tricks that have improved his animation performance
  • What it took to emotionally leave his steady job and go independent

Episode 115: Head Writer We Bare Bears Mikey Heller On How He Became A Writer At Cartoon Network

This chat features Mikey Heller, Head Writer for Cartoon Network’s We Bare Bears and the spin-off series, We Baby Bears. In this chat Mikey shares how publishing webcomics landed him his first writing role, and a behind-the-scenes look into the writing room at Cartoon Network.

You’ll also learn:

  • How to make your writing stand out
  • What to do to bump your application to the top of a writing position
  • Three ways animators and writers can better work together

Episode 114: How Musa Brooker Worked His Way Up From Stop Mo Animator To Creative Director

This episode features Musa Brooker, a Stop Motion Animator turned Creative Director. In this chat Musa shares his journey from animator to lead, supervisor, director, and his most recent role as Creative Director for Six Point Harness, the Academy Award Winning studio that produced Hair Love.

You’ll also learn:

  • How to make the jump from animator to director in your career
  • What studios look for when hiring a Creative Director
  • The types of skills you can develop that will help you advance in your animation career

Social links:

Episode 113: An Interview With SyncSketch Co-Founder & CEO Bernhard Haux

This episode features Co-Founder and CEO of SyncSketch, Bernhard Haux. Bernhard is also a multi-talented animator who has worked with several big-name companies such as Pixar, Oculus, and Facebook. In this chat, Bernhard shares how and why he created SyncSketch and where the platform is heading.

You’ll also learn:

  • How Bernhard ended up working at Pixar (for 8 years)
  • The biggest hurdle in animation that SyncSketch solves
  • How Bernhard created SyncSketch from scratch

Episode 112: Joel MacKenzie On How To Manifest Your Animation Career Dreams

This chat features Ottawa Animator Joel MacKenzie who shares his philosophy on how to manifest your dream animation career. Joel’s career has spanned writing, directing, pitching, and character design for clients like Cartoon Network, Sesame Workshop, HBO, and the CBC, as well as creating his own pilots, Spaceman and Robotron, The Myth of Robo Wonderkid, and Tuff Pom.

You’ll also learn:

  • What to do if you’re working at a job that you like, but it’s not exactly what you want?
  • What it’s like to go through development for a pitch
  • How to make a career out of being your own artist

Episode 111: How Eric Power Singlehandedly Animates Feature Films In Stop Mo With Construction Paper

This episode features Eric Power, an independent stop motion animator who specializes in construction paper animation. Over his 20-year career he’s worked on music videos, brand spots, and even feature films. In this chat, he shares exactly how he’s made a career out of this medium.

You’ll also learn:

  • How Eric gets clients
  • How long it takes Eric to create a fully animated feature film (single-handedly)
  • Eric’s entire process from ideation to completion

Episode 110: Scott Wiser’s Journey To Direct His Original Animated Feature Film

This episode features Scott Wiser and his journey to direct his original feature film who shares exactly how he’s been pitching his ideas and gaining interest from studios to produce it.

You’ll also learn:

  • How Scott gets top industry pros to mentor him
  • The unique way Scott gets studios interested in his work
  • What to do today that will get you one step closer to becoming a director

Episode 109: Motion Graphic Designer William Marler On How To Build Lasting Client Relationships

This episode features award-winning UK Motion Graphics Designer William Marler, who shares his strategy to get more work out of his clients and what he does to manufacture his own luck in the animation industry.

You’ll also learn:

  • The 6 currencies of taking on animation projects (other than for pay)
  • The number one thing that will impress any client
  • How to develop lasting relationships with people you meet at networking events


Episode 108: Max Simone Creator Of Gēmusetto On How To Sell Your Ridiculous Show Idea To Adult Swim

This episode features Max Simone, creator of Adult Swim’s Gēmusetto Machu Picchu and the recent Gēmusetto Death Beats. In this chat, Max shares how he originally pitched the show to Adult Swim and the pipeline to create each episode.

You’ll also learn:

  • How Max convinced Adult Swim to fund his show idea
  • The unique way Max keeps viewers engaged
  • The reason why Max gained absolute creative freedom with his show

[SPONSORED MESSAGE]

This episode is sponsored by the awesome team at StartAStudio.com

Start A Studio, is a new online school focused on the business side of animation. They have both free and paid courses, an online community and downloads to help you succeed in your animation career, and build your own cool, creative and viable animation studio.

You can use the unique discount code ‘AIP’ in the checkout to save 20% on their popular Pro Studio Startup course.

So, whether you’re looking to up your freelance game or plan and launch your own animation company, check out startastudio.com

Episode 107: 2D Effects Artist Dan Elder Explains The Right Way To Ask For A Raise

This episode features Dan Elder, a 15-year veteran to 2D special effects who currently co-head’s Jam Filled Entertainment’s Effects Department in Ottawa. In this chat he shares how to pursue 2D effects in today’s industry as well as how to work your way up in your career.

You’ll also learn:

  • The right way to ask for a raise in animation
  • The type of person who excels in 2D effects
  • A practical way to know your worth as an animator

Episode 106: Indie Stop Mo Animator Martha Mapes Shares How She’s Breaking Into The Stop Mo Scene

This episode features Chicago-based independent stop motion animator, Martha Mapes, who shares what she’s doing to break into the stop motion scene during the pandemic.

You’ll also learn:

  • What kind of stop motion networking events exist in LA
  • How Martha gets stop motion commissions
  • The complete skillset needed to be an independent stop mo animator

Episode 105: Brent Forrest & Tobias Schlage Share How They Got Into 160 Animated Film Festivals

You’ll also learn:
  • Which festivals they got the best connections from
  • The ingenious way they maximized success with getting into festivals
  • Why you should focus on making films instead of getting films made

Episode 104: How Jorge Gutierrez Made The Book Of Life Happen When No Studio Wanted To Touch It

This episode features Mexcian Animator, Producer, and Director Jorge Gutierrez who shares everything it took to get the Book of Life made when no studio wanted to touch it.

You’ll also learn:

  • What Jorge did to gain credibility when no one thought he could direct
  • The animation Jorge made in a week that led to getting his own show
  • Jorge’s best practical advice for pursuing your dreams

Episode 103: Wian Van Bergen & the Pipeline Built in Unreal Engine for His First IP Isaura

This episode features Wian van Bergen, Art Director and Cofounder of Lucan, an animation studio based in Cape Town, South Africa. In our chat, Wian shares the real-time pipeline his team built using Unreal Engine for their first IP, Isaura.

You’ll also learn:

  • How he pitched a TV show to a commercial client and got a “yes”
  • What the industry for animation is like in South Africa
  • How Wian turned a dentist appointment into founding a studio
  • Check out Lucan’s studio and see the trailer for Isaura here
  • Follow Lucan on Instagram

Episode 102: Oscar-Conteder Alexandra Ramires With Short Film Storytelling Tips

This episode features short filmmaker Alexandra Ramires who shares her approach to short film storytelling. She also shares how she received funding to make her Oscar-contending short, “Tie”, the collective of directors behind the animation, and her process to create the film’s unique look.

You’ll also learn:

  • How to make each moment of a film have impact
  • How sustainable a career in short films is
  • How long it took to make an 11-minute film

Episode 101: Alexandre Siqueira Shares His Process To Create Oscar Contender Short Film Purple Boy

This episode features Alexandre Siqueira, who shares his process to create the Oscar contender animation short film, Purple Boy. In our chat he covers how he built his team, secured financing, and how he wrote the narrative to make the film stand out.

You’ll also learn:

  • Why Purple Boy took eight years to make
  • The biggest thing Alexandre learned about making a short film successful
  • How to make your film appealing to a variety of audiences

Episode 100: Terry Ibele’s Journey From Business To Stop Motion & Starting This Podcast

This episode features stop motion animator Terry Ibele (the host of this podcast!) who shares his journey from a career in business to starting fresh in the animation world. He gives his best advice on how he got into animation school, started a podcast, and is developing a kid’s show based on a short film he created in 2019.

You’ll also learn:

  • What he did to get into Sheridan’s Animation Program
  • How he gets top industry guests to come on his podcast
  • His counterintuitive advice on putting together a pitch bible and pitching a show to success

Episode 99: Matt Fernandes Shares How He Created ‘Dino Ranch’ From Sketch To Greenlight

This episode features Matthew Fernandes, co-founder and Chief Creative Officer of Industrial Brothers studio in Toronto. In our chat, Matthew shares how he created his show Dino Ranch from sketch to greenlight and everything in between.

You’ll also learn:

  • How a chance encounter on a bus led to Industrial Brothers’ creation
  • The typical funding mix televisions shows require
  • How to sell a show to a broadcaster

Check out Matthew’s work at https://www.industrialbrothers.com

Episode 98: Nico Colaleo’s Journey To Becoming An Animation Editor & Creating Ollie & Scoops

This episode features Nico Colaleo who shares the ins and outs of what an editor for animation does. He also reveals how he started his own indie show, Ollie & Scoops, and the resources it takes to pump out an episode each month.

You’ll also learn:

  • How much each episode of Ollie & Scoops costs to make
  • The #1 skill you need to be successful at editing
  • The daily life of an animation editor

Episode 97: Disney TV Animation Storyboard Artist Lila Martinez’s Journey From Mexico To The US

This episode features Lila Martinez, a storyboard artist working at Disney Television Animation. In our chat, Lila shares her journey from Mexico to storyboarding on some of the biggest shows on television including The Simpsons and American Dad.

You’ll also learn:

  • The mentality she uses to accomplish her goals
  • The differences between boarding for TV vs Feature and Children’s vs Adult
  • How to make your storyboard tests stand out
  • Follow Lila’s work on her website

Episode 96: Hinaleimoana Wong-Kalu And Joe Wilson Share Their Journey To Create Kapaemahu

This episode features filmmakers Hinaleimoana Wong-Kalu and Joe Wilson who created the film Kapaemahu. Kapaemahu shares the story of the healing power of four mysterious stones found on Waikiki Beach in Hawaii – and the legendary dual male and female spirits within them.

You’ll also learn:

  • How they uncovered the story of the healing stones on Waikiki beach
  • How to find funding to create culturally significant films
  • The impact Joe and Hina hope the film has

Episode 95: Clyde Henry Productions Talk About Animation, Storytelling, Puppets, and Snails

This episode features Chris Lavis and Maciek Szczerbowski of Clyde Henry Productions who share their experiences creating animation, puppet, and live action films over the last decade. Some of their notable works include Madame Tutli-Putli and Higglety Pigglety Pop! or There Must Be More to Life, both co-produced with the National Film Board of Canada.

You’ll also learn:

  • How not limiting their storytelling to animated film has opened them up to fantastic opportunities including creating strange hats for Cirque du Soliel
  • How they’ve operated as an independent studio for the last decade
  • Their upcoming film with the NFB
  • Follow Clyde Henry Productions on Instagram

Episode 94: How Henry Bonsu Successfully Pitched Lazor Wulf To Adult Swim

This episode features Henry Bonsu, creator of Adult Swim’s Lazor Wulf. In our chat, Henry reveals the rollercoaster journey he went through to get the show produced: from its humble beginnings as a tumblr webcomic back in 2013, to pitching Adult Swim, all the way to honing the show’s unique style for season two.

You’ll also learn:

  • The original pitch that sold the show
  • The story engine that keeps Lazor Wulf fresh
  • The goal Henry pursued that led to Adult Swim renewing Lazor Wulf for a second season

Episode 93: N/A

Episode 92: Skylar Zerr’s Top Tips To Become A 3D Animation Director

This episode features Skylar Zerr, 3D Animation Director at Arcana Studio in Vancouver, who shares the skills he worked on that took him from animation graduate to animation director.

You’ll also learn:

  • The number one thing that makes someone an absolutely invaluable candidate during the hiring process
  • The spark that got Skylar back into animation after a two year hiatus
  • The hardest thing Skylar had to learn in order to level up his career
  • Check out Skylar’s website: skylarzerr.com/

Episode 91: Arcana Founder Sean O’Reilly Reveals How He Built A 3D Feature Film Studio From Scratch

This episode features Vancouver-based Arcana Entertainment and Animation Studio Founder and CEO Sean O’Reilly. Sean originally began his journey into animation by travelling to comic book conventions in an attempt to get his independent comic book sold. That experience led him to create a comic book company, Arcana, which now boasts over 300 titles and over 5,000 unique characters. From there, Arcana spanned into 3D animation and has since produced a number of features, television series, and short films.

You’ll also learn:

  • The unique pipeline Arcana has built
  • How Sean evaluates business decisions to mitigate risk
  • Arcana’s hiring process for 3D animators

Episode 90: Interview With Daniel Virgüez On His PhD In International Stop Motion Co-Production

This episode features stop motion animator Daniel Virgüez who shares his current PhD studies in International Stop Motion Co-production and how studios from different countries can collaborate efficiently. Besides his PhD work, Daniel is a professional stop motion animator working on the show “Kiwi” from XBO Films, plus he runs the Guayabo Colectivo artist association.

He also shares:

  • His journey from Columbia to France
  • Highlights of his professional experience working in TV
  • Details of an app he’s creating to connect stop motion professionals around the world

[SPONSORED MESSAGE]

GET YOUR FREE HUE HD PACKAGE HERE PASSWORD: AIPodcastPerks

HUE HD offers an all-in-one starter kit for kids around 7 to 13 years old when it come to animation. Their kit creates an easy and fun way to learn key animation techniques including claymation, lip-synching and rotoscoping. 

The kit includes a colourful HUE HD camera, with a bendy gooseneck, built-in microphone and manual focus. It also includes their easy-to-use animation software has great features such as onion skinning and time lapse, and kids can record their own voices to bring their animations to life. On top of this is the HUE Book of Animation, which takes you step-by-step through how to create your own stop-motion videos and learn the principles of animation like squash and stretch. Plus, you can download free sound effects, a storyboard template and backgrounds to give your videos added magic! 

HUE’s kits, cameras, book, and resources are available from their website and Amazon.

GET YOUR FREE HUE HD PACKAGE HERE PASSWORD: AIPodcastPerks

The package includes a Storyboard template, a sample background for your next claymation, a short instructional video on how to squash and stretch a simple character with clay, and even a super cute printable phenakistoscope of a rat going into a hole.

Episode 89: Colette Peri’s Top Tips On Starting and Managing Your Own Stop Motion Animation Business

This episode features Stop Motion Animator Coco Peri on how she began and manages her own stop motion animation business.

You’ll also learn:

  • How Coco deals with anxiety as an artist
  • How to know what to charge for your services
  • The (unexpected) number one way to push your business to the next level

Episode 88: Flora Martyr Shares Everything You Could Ever Want To Know About Rotoscoping

This episode features UK-based independent rotoscoper Flora Martyr who shares her process to create pristine rotoscope animations.

You’ll also learn:

  • What type of stories are best told through rotoscoping vs other forms of animation
  • How large the market is for rotoscoped animation
  • 3 of the best rotoscoped animations to take inspiration from

Check out Flora’s work at:

Check out these 3 inspirational rotoscoped films:

Episode 87: Everything You Wanted To Know About Animation Wild Card And The People Behind It

This episode features the co-creators of Animation Wild Card: Casey Follen, Alexis Deprey, and Cami Kwan. Animation Wild Card is a community of animation professionals coming together to highlight and share original work from the artists in the animation industry. The co-creators share how the project came to be, how animators can get involved, and the resources they’re creating to close gaps in the industry.

You’ll also learn:

  • How Animation Wild Card is knocking down barriers to entry in animation
  • How those from small-towns can get involved in the larger stop motion community
  • The top three skills to develop right now to start your career in stop motion

Casey Follen
Casey is a production manager and assistant director specializing in stop motion animation. Her freelance brand is Catalyst Castle Studios, which also specializes in stop motion as well as sculptural illustration. She is passionate about bringing creative people together and helping them achieve their goals.

Alexis Deprey
Alexis is a freelance Production Designer and Art Director specializing in stop motion animation. She is also the Co-Owner/Co-Creative Director of Threadwood with her husband Scott DaRos. Casey loves color design, visual storytelling and illustrative work – it completely influences how she develops ideas and techniques for stop motion animation.

Cami Kwan
Cami Kwan is a Creative Producer and partner at Apartment D. She is passionate about creating children’s media that is both artistically and philosophically elevated. She is also passionate about pushing the boundaries of what can be considered possible in stop motion animation, and expanding the popular perception of stop motion animation.

Episode 86: Blizzard Senior Character Animator Peter Starostin Shares How To Excel In CG

This episode features Senior Character Animator at Blizzard Entertainment, Peter Starostin, who shares his top tips on how to excel in CG. Throughout his career, Peter has worked on the cinematics for games like Halo, Starcraft, Warcraft, Overwatch, and Diablo.

You’ll also learn:

  • 3 ways to improve your body mechanics
  • The number one things Peter does to up his game
  • What you need to include in your portfolio to get noticed

Episode 85: Co-Creators Of Adult Swim’s Tigtone Share The Epic 15-Year Journey It Took To Get On TV

This episode features co-creators Andrew Koehler and Benjamin Martian of Adult Swim’s Tigtone. They discuss the origins of the show, the 15-year journey it took to get on television, and the most ridiculous joke they put into Season 2 (which just premiered on Adult Swim).

You’ll also learn:

  • The unconventional way Tigtone is animated using live-action faces
  • The underlying motive Benjamin and Andrew had to pursue Tigtone for so long
  • Their number one piece of advice for aspiring series creators

[Sponsored Message]

This episode is sponsored by Bloop Animation, which is an animation learning platform packed with premium online video courses for aspiring animation filmmakers.

They have courses for all major animation programs like Maya, Animate CC, Toon Boom, Blender, TVPaint, and many others, as well as some non-software courses like a storyboarding course, Animation foundations course, and even one about making graphic novels, which covers absolutely everything you need to know from start to finish.

The courses are all in video-form, so there’s no deadlines or application process, you simply pick a course and start learning in seconds.

In fact, they just released a brand new course with over 5 hours and 38 video lessons teaching how to animate Moho. Moho, formerly known as Anime Studio, is a 2D animation software that’s main selling point is its ability to easily build and animate with rigged puppet characters. It’s balance of ease of use and powerful features makes it a popular option for hobbyists, and while it’s not an industry standard yet, it has been used on some major productions such as the Oscar nominated feature films Song of the Sea, and The Breadwinner.

Episode 84: Character Designer Olivia Amoah’s Detailed Journey From School To Looney Tunes

This episode features Warner Brothers Character Designer Olivia Amoah, who walks through her career journey from animation student, to intern, to first full-time contract, to how she was hired to work on Looney Tunes.

You’ll also learn:

  • Why the hiring manager put her on Looney Tunes when she applied for a totally different position
  • The rollercoaster journey she went on straight out of school
  • Olivia’s plans to start her own animation/art business on the side

Episode 83: Producer Arnie Leibovit & The History Of George Pal’s Puppetoons + Puppetoon Movie V2

This episode features Producer Arnold Leibovit who shares the history of George Pal’s influential stop motion work with the Puppetoons. Arnold is also releasing a compilation of Puppetoon films not seen since they were originally in cinemas in the 1940s.

You’ll also learn:

  • How Goerge Pal single-handedly carved out a niche for stop motion animated films to compete with Disney and Fleischer studios in the 40s.
  • The meticulous process a Puppetoon production went through to produce one second of animation
  • The extreme lengths Arnold went through to get some of the original negatives for The Puppetoons Movie Volume 2

Episode 82: Maddi Patton Shares How She Funded And Produced The Viral Webseries My Pride

This episode features Maddi Patton, a Screenwriter, YouTuber, and self-taught Animator, who shares how she mustered a team of 30 to produce her original web-series My Pride, which has over five million views on YouTube.

You’ll also learn:

  • Where she got funding to produce an entire season of My Pride
  • How it really feels to be producing and animating your own show
  • Some really strange facts about lions that you 99% chance haven’t heard of before

Episode 81: Aaron Long’s Journey from Student to Director of BoJack Horseman

This episode features Aaron Long, BoJack Horseman Director and current Supervising Director on Netflix’s Tuca and Bertie. He shares how he got his first job animating on TripTank fresh out of Max the Mutt Animation School in Toronto, and worked his way up to Director on BoJack.

You’ll also learn:

  • The number one skill Aaron worked the hardest at to get where he is now
  • The ins and outs of producing and animating his independent series Sublo and Tangy Mustard
  • The biggest piece of advice that Aaron followed throughout his journey

Episode 80: Kat Alioshin’s Journey in Producing Some of the Biggest Stop Mo Films of All Time

This episode features the talented producer Kat Alioshin, who’s career has focused on bringing stop motion projects to life. She’s worked on Coraline, The Nightmare Before Christmas, and Monkey Bone to name a few. In this chat Kat shares her career journey, as well as the number one way she’s made connections pay off over the years.

You’ll also learn:

  • The surprising differences between producing Commercial, TV, and Feature film projects
  • The reason she focuses on bringing stop motion projects to life
  • A behind-the-scenes look at her upcoming independent feature film, The Inventor

Episode 79: David Rocco Facchini On How To Follow A Career In Storytelling (and Stop Motion Too)

This episode features storyteller, stop motion animator, and Founder of #MoStopMo, David Rocco Facchini, who shares how to pursue a career in narrative projects.

You’ll also learn:

  • How to take control of your neanderthal brain to tell more captivating stories
  • The secret to bringing attention to your narrative projects
  • How to get involved in the #MoStopMo stop motion mentorship program

Episode 78: Voice Actor Todd Manojlovic On Getting Into Character For YOLO Crystal Fantasy

This episode features Australian Voice Actor Todd Manojlovic from Adult Swim’s new series, YOLO: Crystal Fantasy. Todd shares the method he took to nail his parts, and his best advice for others looking to pursue voice acting for animation.

You’ll also learn:

  • How Adult Swim turned an indie YouTube video into the YOLO: Crystal Fantasy series
  • The surprising amount of hours that go into voice acting an 11-minute episode
  • How to get into the right mental state to ad-lib lines and make them sound natural

Episode 77: How Ian Boone Got Two Internships At Laika & Worked On Tumble Leaf

This chat features stop motion animator Ian Boone, who shares the story of how he got an internship at Laika, twice, and then got to work on Amazon Prime’s Tumble Leaf.

He also shares:

  • Tips to animate what a character is thinking
  • A simple switch in mindset that will improve your animation performance 10x
  • The simple trick that will get you animating twice as fast

Episode 76: Adult Swim’s Matt Maiellaro & Mary Spender Share Behind-The-Scenes Of 12 Oz. Mouse

This chat features Adult Swim’s Matt Maiellaro, creator of 12 Oz. Mouse, and Mary Spender, voice actor of Aria from 12 Oz. Mouse. They share the story of how the cult classic came to be.

You’ll also learn:

  • Why Adult Swim brought back 12 Oz. Mouse after a 14 year hiatus
  • How Matt responds to criticism for following unconventional animation and storytelling techniques
  • What Mary did to get “discovered” off YouTube

Episode 75: Matthew Senreich On How He Made Robot Chicken One Of The Longest Running Animated Shows

This episode features the multiple Primetime Emmy and Annie award-winning director, producer, and co-creator of Adult Swim’s Robot Chicken: Matthew Senriech. He shares the reason behind why Robot Chicken has become one of the longest-running animated shows on air.

You’ll also learn:

  • The story of how Matthew sold Robot Chicken to Adult Swim
  • The number one thing Matthew wishes someone said to him earlier in his career
  • The most practical way to push your ideas out into the world

Episode 74: Spike & Kat Share Animation Outlaws: The History Of The Spike & Mike Animation Festival

This episode features Spike Decker and Kat Alioshin who share a behind the scenes look into their documentary, Animation Outlaws, which covers the rise of the Spike and Mike Animation Festival.

You’ll also learn:

  • The guerrilla marketing tactics that had people pouring into theatres
  • How Spike gave a start to today’s animation bigshots including Tim Burton and Nick Park
  • What risks animators can take to get noticed in today’s marketplace
  • Watch Animation Outlaws here
  • Get in touch with Spike and Kat here

Episode 73: Animator Christian Lie On How He Gets Millions Of Views On YouTube

This episode features animator Christian Lie on how he found success on YouTube and decided to change the trajectory of his career towards animation.
He also shares:
  • His personal study schedule as he learns the principles of animation
  • The formula he uses to get views on YouTube
  • How he got his start by sharing rock music history through video essays

Episode 72: Development Exec Dave Padbury Shares How Pitches Are Turned Into New Shows

This episode features Development Executive Dave Padbury who shares a behind-the-scenes look at what happens to your pitch after you leave the room.

You’ll also learn:

  • The #1 thing studios look for new creators to bring to the table
  • The do’s and don’ts of pitching to executives
  • How to build an enticing story engine

Episode 71: Aaron Hazouri Shares The Tough Reality Of Pursuing Storyboard Artist Work In LA

This episode features story artist and illustrator Aaron Hazouri who sheds light into the harsh reality of pursuing work as a storyboard artist in LA.

You’ll also learn:

  • How much networking really matters in landing a job
  • What studios will never tell you about their job postings
  • The real reason he stopped pursuing storyboard work in LA

Episode 70: How Stop Motion Animator Anthony Scott Got To Work On The Nightmare Before Christmas

This episode features legendary stop motion animator Anthony Scott who shares how he made a career out of the wonderful world of stop motion animation.

You’ll also learn:

  • How he went from being a janitor to animating Jack Skellington on The Nightmare Before Christmas
  • The old-school tool Anthony still uses that trumps all of today’s stop mo tech
  • The best path new animators can take to get into today’s core group of stop motion professionals

Episode 69: How Jackie Davis Quit Her Job to Make Webcomics For A Living (Underpants & Overbites)

This episode features Jackie Davis, the webcomic artist behind Underpants and Overbites. In our chat she shares how she figured out how to make a sustainable income off webcomics.

You’ll also learn:

  • The not-so-talked about details of what quitting your job to pursue your passion is actually like
  • How Jackie deals with self-doubt
  • How Jackie smashed the perfectionist attitude while still making great art

Episode 68: Lauren Orme On How She Started The Cardiff Animation Festival

This episode features Lauren Orme, an animator and studio owner based in Cardiff, South Whales. She shares the story of how she started running Cardiff Animation Nights in 2014, which evolved into the Cardiff Animation Festival.

You’ll also learn:

  • How the festival evolved during the 2020 pandemic
  • The steps to start an animation festival from the ground up in your hometown
  • How she’s learned to pick films that will draw in paying audiences

Cardiff Animation Festival:

Cardiff Animation Nights:

Website:

Lauren’s Social Media:

Episode 67: Liam Gilbey On How To Start An Animation Studio With Your Classmates Right Out Of School

This episode features animator and studio co-founder Liam Gilbey who shares what it took to create a studio with his classmates right out of school.

You’ll also learn:

  • How the studio got their first client (and continues to do so)
  • How operations and finances are run
  • How animation students can start their own successful studio out of school too

Animation Industry Podcast · Episode 67: Liam Gilbey On How To Start An Animation Studio With Your Classmates Right Out Of School

  • Follow Liam’s studio, Cut the Mustard on Instagram
  • Check out Cut the Mustard’s website
  • Companies House where all UK businesses have addresses registered

Episode 66: Adam Ciolfi On How To Become An Award – Winning Independent Filmmaker (with Stop Motion)

This episode features Adam Ciolfi, a multiple award-winning stop motion animator who shares how to become successful as an independent filmmaker.

You’ll also learn:

  • The reason Adam left the professional animation industry
  • How Adam’s created a life that sustains his independent filmmaking
  • What he’s learned from attending festivals all over the word

Episode 65: Director JJ Villard On How He Created JJ Villard’s FairyTales For Adult Swim

This episode features director JJ Villard who shares what it took to create his recent show JJ Villard’s Fairytales for Adult Swim.

You’ll also learn:

  • The reason behind why JJ quit DreamWorks
  • JJ’s approach to pushing his animation career to new heights
  • A full behind-the-scenes look of what it took to produce JJ Villard’s Fairytales

Episode 64: Director Cat Solen With Behind The Scenes Of Adult Swim’s The Shivering Truth Season 2

This episode features director and producer of Adult Swim’s The Shivering Truth, Cat Solen. She shares how her career led up to directing The Shivering Truth, and a unique behind-the-scenes of how each episode was created.

You’ll also learn:

  • How Cat launched her career right out of the Art Institute of Chicago
  • The top three things that have honed her directing skills
  • Her best advice for someone else who wants to follow a similar path

Learn more about this podcast: https://terryibele.com/animation-industry-podcast/

Episode 63: Director Mike Owens and How He Created Danger & Eggs for Amazon Prime

This episode features director and creator of Danger & Eggs, Mike Owens, who shares the journey of creating his own show.

You’ll also learn:

  • How he became the lead animator on Animaniacs right out of college
  • His top tips for collaborating with a big team around the world
  • The real reason he decided to create his own studio
  • Reach out to Mike by email: mike [at] womostudio.com
  • Check out Mike’s Animation Mentorship Nonprofit: https://nicemoves.org/

Episode 62: Stop Motion Director Jamie Caliri and How He Created Dragonframe With His Brother

This episode features Director Jamie Caliri, who shares how he created Dragonframe Stop Motion Software.

You’ll also learn:

  • Insights into Jamie’s career as a music video director
  • How he and his brother manage to stay ahead of the curve with Dragonframe
  • His best advice for following your dreams

Episode 61: Animation Writer James Walsh & The Successful Story Formula For Animated Shows

This episode features James Walsh, a writer for children’s animated TV shows. James shares his journey into writing and how he landed a role on the smash hit Hey Dugee.

You’ll also learn:

  • 3 things that will help you develop judgment for writing
  • How to make yourself invaluable as a writer (it has nothing to do with writing)
  • The ultimate answer to what makes a good writer?

Episode 60: 3D Animator Gemal Plummer On What It Takes To Get Hired In CG

This episode features Toronto CG Animator Gemal Plummer who shares what it takes to get hired as a CG character animator.

You’ll also learn:
*3 super tips that will speed up your workflow
*An overview of which studios in Toronto work in CG
*Which non-animation activities can help you improve your animation

[Sonsored Message] This episode is sponsored by The Animation Box.

The Animation Box is an online learning platform specialized in teaching 3D Character Animation. They currently have a special deal on their Cartoon Mechanics Masterclass where you will learn step by step how to animate a cartoon-stylized shot from blocking to spline in Autodesk Maya.

The Masterclass is a 20+hr video course full of unique lectures, tips and tricks and workflow methods that are used in the feature film industry. You’ll also get access to unique Character Rigs for Maya that can be used to create your personal shots.

They also offer Mentorship training and more workshops are coming in the near future.

Episode 59: Stop Motion Animator Amber Padgett On How To Quit Your Job & Animate For A Living

This episode features Amber Padgett, a stop motion director, animator, and fabricator who shares how to quit your job and follow your ultimate dream.

You’ll also learn:

  • How Amber went from working at a grocery store to some of the top stop motion studios in the US
  • How to make uncomfortable comfortable to push yourself to new heights
  • How Amber carved out a niche for herself in outdoor stop motion

Episode 58: The Sketch Effect Founder William Warren Shares His Journey into B2B Animation

This episode features The Sketch Effect Founder William Warren, who shares what the B2B animation industry is like.

You’ll also learn:

  • The top 3 things that set you apart from other animation applicants
  • How The Sketch Effect grew without any traditional marketing
  • What skills you need to make it in the B2B animation side of things

Episode 57: Stop Motion Animator Adam Taylor On How To Get Hired For Stop Motion

This episode features Adam Taylor on how to get hired as a stop motion animator.

You’ll also learn:

  • How to become known for a specific animation technique
  • How to ensure you have a constant flow of gigs lined up
  • A list of all the stop motion studios in the USA

Episode 56: 2D Animator Josh Pinker On How Networking With Studios Actually Works

This episode features 2D animator Josh Pinker on how to network properly in the animation industry (so everyone knows who you are). He also shares how he developed his latest e-book Your Animated Journey, a self-help guide to getting hired and working your way up as an animator.

You’ll also learn:

  • How to use LinkedIn’s algorithm to get a job
  • The three not-so-talked about things that will get you hired (hint: they having nothing to do with your animation skills)
  • Why Canada is a better opportunity than the US if you want to be a 2D Animator

Episode 55: UK Stop Motion Animator Trevor Hardy On How He Directed The Feature Film “Strike”

This episode features Trevor Hardy, a Stop Motion Animator and Director from the UK. In this chat, he shares how he ended up directing the stop motion feature film Strike, and what it’s like to make a living in the industry.

You’ll also learn

  • What the stop motion industry is like in the UK (and it might surprise you)
  • What it really takes to pursue stop motion as a full-time career
  • The nitty-gritty details of how the feature film Strike was developed
  • Watch the trailer for Strike here
  • Check out Trevor’s studio here

Episode 54: Mathias Richard Horhager On How To Become a Kid’s TV Show Director

This episode features Filipino-Canadian Creator, Director, Writer and Filmmaker Mathias Richard Horhager on how to become a kid’s TV show director.

You’ll also learn

  • The secret ingredients to produce a hit episode
  • Which part of the show to spend the most time on as a director
  • How to create a mentality that always pushes you forward in your career

Episode 53: Blue Sky Senior Lighting TDs Michael & Jasmine On How To Become a CG Lighting Artist

This episode of the Animation Industry Podcast features two prominent Blue Sky Studios Lighting Artists – Jasmine Katatikarn and Michael Tanzillo – who also run the Academy of Animation Art. In this chat, they share how to become a CG lighting artist in today’s industry.

You’ll also learn:

  • What to include in your portfolio when applying for jobs
  • The simple goal that will light a scene well no matter what
  • The ins and outs of working as a CG lighting artist at a major studio

Episode 52: How Director Dave Thomas Carved out a Career in Stop Motion in Toronto

This episode features Dave Thomas, a Director, Creator, and Animator on how he carved out a path in stop motion in Toronto.

You’ll also learn:

  • The kind of ingenuity it takes to get paid for something you love to do
  • How to get studios to notice you when you’re just starting out
  • Why studios aren’t investing in stop motion and what it would take for them to do so

Episode 51 Animator Sylvie Trouvé How to Learn the Basics of Stop Motion with the See-Learn Academy

This episode features filmmaker and stop motion animator Sylvie Trouvé who shares what you can learn at the newly created See-Learn Online Stop Motion Academy.

  • What sort of materials you need to start animating right now
  • A full breakdown of the classes and the type of feedback you’ll get
  • You’ll also learn how Sylvie built a career in stop motion for herself

Episode 50: Studio Owner Katia Grifols On How To Create A Killer Animated TV Show Pitch Bible (Step By Step)

This episode of the Animation Industry Podcast features Glow in the Dark Concept Studios Mastermind Katia Grifols who shares how to create a killer pitch bible from scratch.

You’ll also learn:

  • How to write believable flaws into characters
  • The number one question you’ll need to be prepared for in a pitch meeting
  • A rundown of all the animation conferences you can pitch at
  • Follow Glow in the Dark Concept Studios on Instagram
  • Visit Glow in the Dark Concept Studios’ Website
  • Check out Glow in the Dark Concept Studios on Patreon

Download Pitch Bible Basics (free): Pitch Bible Basics by Glow in the Dark Concept Studio

Episode 49: Mexican Animator Alan Castanos on What the Animation Industry Is Like in Mexico

This episode of the Animation Industry Podcast features Alan Castanos, a Mexican 2D Freelance Animator, who shares his insights into the animation industry in Mexico.

You’ll also learn:

  • How to land gigs on the freelancing site Upwork
  • The top 3 things that will make your clients happy
  • How many projects you need to take on per year to realistically survive in freelance

Episode 48: Animator & Game Dev. Jess Stilwell on How to Start Developing an Indie Game

This episode of the Animation Industry Podcast features animator and game developer Jess Stilwell (who’s also a fellow classmate of mine at Sheridan College!), who shares her journey into indie game development.

You’ll also learn:

  • Three free software tools to start making your own indie game
  • How Jess is developing an audience for her game before it launches
  • Why you shouldn’t develop your “passion project” as your first game

Episode 47: Animator Joseph Karwal on How He Got Into Calarts and How to Thrive in the Program

This episode features Joseph Karwal, a fourth-year animation student at CalArts. He shares what he did to get accepted into the program, what it’s like, and the career opportunities it’s created for him.

You’ll also learn:

  • What kind of mentality you need to create an accepted portfolio
  • The nitty-gritty details of what the program actually teaches you
  • His top 5 tips for producing student films that get noticed

Episode 46: John Musker (Moana/Treasure Planet/Aladdin/Hercules/etc.) Shares How he Became a Director at Disney

This episode features Disney Director John Musker who’s known for Moana, Treasure Planet, The Princess and the Frog among other films. He shares how he got his start at Disney and worked his way up to become a director.

You’ll also learn:

  • John’s strategy for getting into Disney
  • A first-hand experience of what working at Disney was like during the 80s and 90s
  • John’s 9 pieces of advice for those pursuing animation

Episode 45: Animator Erik Goulet And How He Founded The First Stop Motion Film Festival In The World

This episode of the Animation Industry Podcast features Stop Motion Animator and Professor, Erik Goulet who shares how he founded the first stop motion film festival in the world.

You’ll also learn:

  • What will make your stop motion film stand out (Erik has seen hundreds!)
  • A brief overview of what’s been fueling the stop motion industry these last few decades
  • Erik’s 3-phase master plan to build up the stop motion industry in Montreal

Episode 44: Founder Of Bloop Animation Morr Meroz On How To Make A Killer Short Animated Film

This episode of the Animation Industry Podcast features Morr Meroz, the Founder of Bloop Animation, an online learning platform for aspiring animation filmmakers. Morr shares what he’s learned from producing three animated short films.

You’ll also learn:

  • Three surprising reasons your short film will flop
  • The stage you should spend 90% of your time in
  • The number one way to make sure your film is a success

Episode 43: Director Animator Jonni Phillips on Why She Creates the Films She Does and How

This episode of the Animation Industry Podcast features Jonni Phillips, an independent filmmaker, animator, and cartoonist. She shares the nitty-gritty details of how she creates her absurdly wonderful, and absolutely unique mixed-media animation style.

You will also learn:

  • What CalArts’ Experimental Animation Program is like
  • How she developed Rachel and Her Grandfather Control the Island with Frederator Studios
  • How she made Wasteland and The Final Exit of the Disciples of Ascensia

Episode 42: Toronto Stop Motion Department Inc. Founders On How They Created The Studio From Scratch

This episode of the Animation Industry Podcast features Toronto Stop Motion Department Inc. Founders Philip Eddolls and Evan DeRushie, and Production Manager Annick Counihan. They share how the studio came to be and how they’ve managed to grow the business over the last year.

You’ll also learn:

  • 3 opportunities you have to get into stop motion in Toronto right now
  • The most difficult part about starting a stop motion focused studio
  • What a budget break-down looks like for a stop motion project

Episode 41: Animator, Filmmaker & Sheridan Animation Coordinator Chris Walsh’s Journey Into Stop Mo

In this episode of the Animation Industry Podcast, Animator, Filmmaker, and Coordinator of Sheridan College’s Animation Program, Christopher Walsh shares his journey into stop motion animation.

You’ll also learn:

  • How Chris pitched and sold Moogaloops to Sesame Street
  • The top 3 things that make students at Sheridan successful animators when they graduate
  • How Chris wrote the ultimate guide on stop motion animation for beginners (and where to get it)

Episode 40: Sean Glaze on How to Get Paid to Make Ridiculous, Adult-Themed Shorts From Your Living Room

This episode of the Animation Industry Podcast features Sean Glaze (otherwise known as Lord Spew on the internet). He shares how he lands gigs at Adult Swim, Cartuna, and more.

You’ll also learn:

  • How he ended up storyboarding on Teen Titan Go!
  • The 3 career benefits of developing your own style in your spare time
  • 5 ways to make your animations catch your audience off guard (in a good and bad way)

Episode 39: Castlevania 2D Animator Naseer Pasha on How to Pursue Your Dream Career No Matter What

In this episode Naseer Pasha, a Toronto-based 2D Animator shares what he did to break into 2D animation.

You’ll also learn:

  • What it was like working on Netflix’s Castlevania
  • How to understand your dollar-value as an animator (when taking on a new role or freelance)
  • A model for making the best choice when faced with tough decisions

Episode 38: Melbourne Illustrator/Animator Neil Sanders on How to Create Everyday & Where That Leads

This episode of the animation industry podcast features Neil Sanders, an Illustrator, Animator, Lecturer, and Honcho of LoopdeLoop. He shares how to create something everyday and where that can lead to in your career.

You will also learn:

  • What the animation market is like in Australia
  • Three benefits that come when you post every day
  • How to submit your short animated loop for LoopdeLoop’s bi-monthly animation challenge

Episode 37: Stop Motion Animator & Video Wizard Kevin Parry on Creating a Career from Social Media

In this episode, stop motion animator and video wizard Kevin Parry shares his journey from animating feature films at Laika to gaining over a million followers and developing a career out of social media.

You will also learn:

  • The specific things Kevin has done to gain over a million followers
  • An exclusive behind-the-scenes look of what it’s like animating at Laika
  • Kevin’s best advice for aspiring stop motion animators

Episode 36: Toronto Video Game Art Director John Little on How to Pursue a Career in Video Games

This episode features John Little, a seasoned Video Game Art Director based out of Toronto. In our chat he shares how he got into the scene, and his latest endeavor at a video game start up.

You’ll also learn:

  • The specific skills studios are looking for
  • How to ask for your first raise
  • The current state of the job market in video games (in Toronto)

Episode 35: Stop Motion Animator Colin Lepper on How the Storybots (JibJab & Netflix) Got Made

This episode features Colin Lepper, a stop motion animator who helped develop and animate the stop motion episodes of the Storybots (Jib Jab) on Netflix. He shares how he got into stop motion after graduating animation school, and the types of challenges small stop motion studios face.

You’ll also learn:

  • 5 safety tips most people don’t know about when working with hazardous stop motion materials (like resin)
  • 3 super time-saving tips when it comes to shooting stop motion videos
  • The attitude Colin has that’s helped him make life-altering decisions

Episode 34: Igloosoft Founder & RimWorld/Starbound Pixel Artist Rho On How To Get Into Indie Games

This episode of the Animation Industry Podcast features Rho “Rhopunzel” Watson, the Founder of Igloosoft, the developer of Outworlder, and former Pixel Artist from RimWorld and Starbound. Rho shares their journey into indie game development and how to make the best pixel art.

You’ll also learn:

  • Rho’s top tips to get noticed as a pixel artist
  • Where to get really good reference for creating pixel art
  • The easiest and best way to get into the Indie Game Development scene
  • Which healthy habits will help you avoid burnout from art and animation

Episode 33: Instagram Famous Frantic Frames On How To Do 100 Stop Mo Posts In A Row No Matter What

This episode of the Animation Industry Podcast features Ben Treat, otherwise known as Frantic Frames on Instagram. He shares how he challenged himself to create 100 stop motion posts over 100 days, and how he because sought after for branded sponsorships on Instagram.

You’ll also learn:

  • Ben’s top 5 hacks to animate with a budget of zero dollars
  • The surprising tactic Ben took to get his first sponsored post
  • How Ben intentionally grew his Instagram following.

Episode 32: Master Stop Mo Animator, Producer, & FX Artist Stephen Chiodo on How to Be Sought After

This episode of the Animation Industry Podcast features Stephen Chiodo, who is one of the great masters of stop motion, puppetry, and special effects. He shares how he was able to carve out his career in stop motion specifically and become sought-after for his skills in animation, puppetry, and special effects.

You’ll also learn:

  • How to mentally position yourself so you’ll always be in-demand by studios
  • Important notes to make when negotiating a contract
  • How to gain connections at the top studios
  • What is was like working with Tim Burton on Vincent

Episode 31: Adventure Time Character Designer & Amphibia Director Derek Kirk Kim’s Journey into Animation

This episode of the Animation Industry Podcast featured Derek Kirk Kim, prolific comics writer and artist, Senior Character Designer on Adventure Time, and Director for Disney TV’s Amphibia. In our chat, he shares the struggles of trying to make it as a comics artist and how that led to his career in animation.

You will also learn:

  • His proven structure for publishing graphic novels
  • How to get the right industry connections
  • A very clear picture of what it’s like being a character designer
  • Follow Derek Kirk Kim’s work on Instagram

Episode 30: Claymation Encyclopedia Marc Spess Shares Industry Tips On Making Professional Clay Films

This episode of the Animation Industry Podcast features master claymation animator Marc Spess who shares his encyclopedia knowledge on everything you need to know about sculpting clay for claymation.

You will also learn:

  • Every answer to every question you ever had about clay – and even ones you didn’t think to ask (like heating up clay colours in a pot to mix them faster).
  • How to set up your layers and reduce glare for animating on glass
  • The pitfalls of making a career out of stop motion and Marc’s advice if you’re losing interest, or feel like giving up (like I did for nearly a decade).

Episode 29: Boxtrolls Vis Dev Artist Sylvain Marc on How to Develop Concept Art for Film and TV

This episode of the Animation Industry Podcast features Sylvain Marc, a Vis Dev artist who’s helped develop the look and feel (and characters) of BoxTrolls, Hotel Transylvania 2 & 3, and the Amazing World of Gumball. In this episode he shares how to develop concept art for film and television.

You’ll also learn:

  • The top three pieces of art to showcase in your portfolio
  • The entire process of pitching concept work for a feature film
  • The number one skill every concept artist needs to develop no matter what

Episode 28: Javan Ivey on Everything You Need to Make a Beginner Stop Motion Studio in Your Bedroom

This episode of the Animation Industry Podcast features seasoned stop motion animator Javan Ivey, on everything you need to make a beginner stop motion studio in your bedroom that will give you professional-quality videos.

You will also learn:

  • Javan’s journey into the world of commercial stop motion film making
  • The exact camera, lighting, stop motion equipment and software set up you need without breaking the bank
  • The number one reason when clients will pay for stop motion over other forms of animation

People Javan mentioned on the podcast:

Resources Javan mentioned on the podcast:

Episode 27: Cuphead’s Tina Nawrocki on How To Find Success in 2D Traditional Hand Drawn Animation

This episode of the Animation Industry Podcast features Tina Nawrocki, one of the original hand-drawn animators on the Cuphead video game. Tina shares how she got her start in traditional 2D animator, how she landed Cuphead, and what opportunities exist for hand-drawn animators in the marketplace.

You’ll also learn:

  • The top 3 skills you’ll need to thrive in hand-drawn animation (2 of them may really surprise you)
  • How Tina risked everything to pursue hand-drawn video game animation
  • Tina’s complete process for creating the unique character loop animations in Cuphead

Watch this episode on YouTube

Follow Tina on:

Resources Tina mentions in this podcast:

Episode 26: Producer Barrett Slagle On Everything You Need To Know About Sound Design For Animation

This episode of the Animation Industry Podcast features Mixer/Producer, and Studio Co-Owner Barrett Slagle, who shares everything an animator needs to know about sound design.

You’ll also learn:

  • The biggest mistake animators make when composing sound for their films
  • The best place to find a sound designer or composer for your film
  • A beginner’s cheat sheet for creating studio-level sound effects

Watch this episode on YouTube

  • Get in touch with Barrett, and hear his work on his website

Episode 25: Creative Director David Braun on Everything You Need to Know About the Business Side of Pitching a Show or Series

This episode of the Animation Industry Podcast features David Braun, Creative Director at Open the Portal, a stop motion studio in LA. David shares the journey it took to create the studio from scratch, while also developing and pitching an original series idea to major networks.

You’ll also learn:

  • The hardest questions a producer will ask you during the pitch
  • The #1 thing that will immediately impress any studio executive
  • A complete list of absolutely everything you need to prepare before you walk in to pitch your series

Watch this episode on YouTube

  • Reach out to David by email
  • Get in touch with Open the Portal Studio by email
  • Follow Open the Portal on Instagram

Episode 24: Whit Theofrastous, on What It’s like Being an International Animation Student in Canada and How to Get into Sheridan If You Live in the USA.

This episode of the Animation Industry Podcast features Whitman Theofreastous, a second year International Animation Student at Sheridan College in Canada. Whit shares his experience with applying to multiple animation schools and the complete process to get into Sheridan from the USA.

You’ll also learn:

  • The big difference in application requirements between SVA, CalArts, Ringling, and Sheridan + the best place to get advice for each program.
  • The complete application process to apply to Sheridan as an International Student (including your visa and how much you’re allowed to work)
  • The number one biggest disadvantage of being an international student, plus three really great advantages

Episode 23: Aminder Dhaliwal Director at Disney TV Animation & Creator of Woman World on Finding Success on Instagram as an Artist

This episode of the Animation Industry Podcast features Aminder Dhaliwal, Director at Disney TV Animation and creator of the massively popular comic Woman World, on how to find success on Instagram as an Artist.

You will also learn.

  • 5 Practical tips on how to stay mentally and physically healthy as a full-time artist
  • How to refine your storytelling process to be super punchy and clear
  • The difference in studio culture between Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network, and Disney
  • Plus, why Aminder will never show anyone her sketchbook
  • And… Aminder’s best advice for Sheridan students’ grad film (she’s an alumni!)
  • Follow Aminder and read her comics on Instagram

Episode 22: 2D Effects Animator at Pipeline Studios Tracy Strong on How to Become a Sought-After 2D Effects Artist

This episode of the Animation Industry Podcast features Tracy Strong, 2D Effects Animator at Pipeline Studios on the steps to build a career out of 2D effects.

You will also learn:

  • The 3 specific things to include in your portfolio if you want to get into 2D Effects (it’s not what you think)
  • What 90% of the job of a Special Effects Animator actually entails
  • Why being told you’re great at art can actually make you fail in animation

Episode 21: Maximilian Lopez Founder of Apartment D on How to Get Stop Motion Client Work

This episode of the Animation Industry Podcast features Maximilian Lopez, stop motion animator on Tumble Leaf and Founder of Apartment D Films on how to get stop motion client work.

You’ll also learn:

  • How Max worked his way from painting a bathroom during his first internship to owning his own studio
  • How to entice clients to take on stop motion projects
  • A whole lot of really really solid business advice for anyone who wants to become a professional animator

Episode 20: Brent Dienst, Toy Story 4 Pixar Animator on How to Create Believable Character Performances

This episode of the Animation Industry Podcast features Brent Dienst, Pixar Animator on how to create believable character performances.

You’ll also learn:

  • What Pixar looks for when they hire character animators
  • How to turn “throwaway shots” into career jumping opportunities
  • What the culture at Pixar is like for animators

Episode 19: Dale Hayward Director of Bone Mother for the NFB on His Latest Film and How to Build a Self-Sustaining Career from Stop Motion

This episode of the Animation Industry Podcast features NFB Director Dale Hayward on his latest film Bone Mother and how to build a career out of stop motion.

You’ll also learn:

  • The complete process of how National Film Board of Canada films are produced.
  • How Dale and co-director Sylvie created their own 3D printing process for face replacements
  • The one thing that will make you appear more legitimate to companies when seeking client work

Episode 18: Bill Tedford, Art Director at Brown Bag Films on How to Develop Children’s Programming IP

This episode of the Animation Industry Podcast features Bill Tedford, Art Director at Brown Bag Films, on how to develop children’s programming IP.
You’ll also learn:

  • The complete process a children’s show goes through from idea to air
  • What kind of market research Brown Bag does before they develop an IP
  • Why it’s easier for background painters to become Art Directors
  • Reach out to Bill on LinkedIn
  • Send your portfolio to Brown Bag Films
  • Watch Team Canada’s 48 Hour Film Entry here
  • Watch an episode of Daniel Tiger’s Neighbourhood here

Episode 17: Fernando Stockler, Sheridan Animation Student on How to Get into the Program and Do Really Really Well

This episode of the Animation Industry Podcast features Fernando Stockler, Sheridan Animation Student, on how to get into the program and do really really really well.
You’ll also learn:

  • How to get top marks on your animation portfolio
  • What Sheridan’s Art Fundamentals Program is like
  • The #1 thing animation students struggle with
  • How making your mom freshly squeezed orange juice can help you get better grades
  • (plus, hear me say “like” 12,000 times)

Episode 16: Davey Ferguson, Guest Animator for Adventure Time & Turbo Fantasy Shares Freelance Life

This episode of the Animation Industry Podcast features Davey Ferguson, a freelance, Glasgow based animator who talks about how to specialize in silly animation and artwork for TV, games, and online content.

You’ll also learn:

  • How he ended up animating a guest episode of Adventure Time
  • How to time manage yourself as a freelancer
  • The biggest stress a freelance animator faces

Episode 15: Andrew Strimaitis Animation Director At Guru Studio Talks Mentorship and Feedback Loops

This episode of the Animation Industry Podcast features Andrew Strimaitis, Animation Director at Guru Studio who talks about mentorship and how a feedback loop can further your career (in leaps and bounds!).

You’ll also learn:

  • The KABOOMS formula for animating characters at maximum efficiency
  • The #1 thing Andrew’s seen motivate animators to do their best studio work
  • Andrew’s best advice on how to land any entry level animation job

Episode 14: Elyse Castro Creator Of The Summoning for Cartoon Hangover Shares How She Pitched Her Show Idea To Frederator

This episode features Elyse Castro, creator of The Summoning for Cartoon Hangover, on how she pitched her show idea to Frederator.

You’ll also learn:

  • How ridiculously simple Elyse’s pitch was
  • Everything you need to put together your own pitch (and all the stuff you don’t actually need to do)
  • The different types of tension that will make the story better

Episode 13: Emmy Winning Stop Motion Animator Sarah de Gaudemar on How to Make a Career out of Stop Motion

This episode of the Animation Industry Podcast features Emmy winning Stop Motion Animator Sarah de Gaudemar on how to make a career out of stop motion animation.

You’ll also learn:

  • How to improve your stop motion skills (if you feel like you suck at it)
  • The best way to get into the industry
  • The big difference between TV stop motion and feature film stop motion
  • Get in touch with Sarah through her Instagram

Episode 12: Scarlet Nelson on How to Become a Stop Motion Animator for TV Shows

This episode of the Animation Industry Podcast features Scarlet Nelson on how to become a TV show stop motion animator.

You’ll also learn:

  • The top three things to put in a stop motion demo reel
  • What a 9-5 day looks like animating a TV show in stop motion
  • The different skills needed for stop motion vs 2D and 3D animation

Episode 11: Jim Bryson on Being a Jack of All Trades and Making Your Own Show

This episode of the Animation Industry Podcast features ‘Jack off all trades’ animator, Jim Bryson on how to find success in a variety of roles and end up making your own show.

You will also learn:

  • The best way to get a studio executive to greenlight your show pitch
  • The different types of animation work you can expect in Canada, the US, and the UK
  • 4 tips to increase your Instagram followers

Episode 10: Vadim Bazhanov on the Top Skills Needed to Become a Successful Story Artist

This episode of the Animation Industry Podcast features Vadim Bazhanov on how to become a successful Story Artist working on feature-length films.

You will also learn:

  • Vadim’s journey from graduating in Toronto to working at Blue Sky in New York
  • How he wrote the massively popular short The Early Hatchling Gets the Worm, which has nearly 40 million views on YouTube
  • What it’s like working with a director to develop a film

Episode 9: Rikke Asbjoern and Chris Garbutt on Being Showrunners for Netflix

This episode of the Animation Industry Podcast features Rikke Asbjoern and Chris Garbutt on how they became showrunners on their own series for Netflix.

You will also learn:

  • The surprising advice they have on connecting with industry professionals
  • What they pitched to get their show Pinky Malinky picked up by Nickelodeon and then Netflix
  • Their take on mastering one skill vs learning a wide range of skills
  • Get in touch with Rikke and Chris through their Instagrams: FattyWhale and ThatDamnGarbutt
  • See Feedspot’s full list of the top 10 animation podcasts here.

Episode 8: Humberto Rosa on Being a Lead Animator at Sony Pictures

This episode of the Animation Industry Podcast features Humberto Rosa on how he became a lead animator on Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse at Sony Pictures Imageworks.

You will also learn:

  • Why positive reinforcement nearly led him down the wrong career path (and what it took to set his path straight)
  • The skill he picked up after animation school that changed his career for the better
  • How he dealt with insecurity and how he figured out how to produce his best work possible

Episode 7: Ronald Stanage on How to Break into the Animation Industry and Make Fart Jokes for Kids

This episode of the Animation Industry Podcast features Cartoon Network’s Ronald Stanage on how to break into the animation industry and make fart jokes for kids.

You’ll also learn:

  • The one thing Ron did every day (for five years!) that landed him his role at Cartoon Network
  • The pros and cons of developing a wide range of skills vs mastering one skill over time
  • The most exciting and monotonous parts of being a storyboard artist
  • Get in touch with Ron through his Instagram
  • Watch Ron’s short, Tennis the Good Boy on YouTube

Episode 6: Lawrence Hugh Burns on What It Takes To Do Freelance And Professional Illustration

This episode of the Animation Industry Podcast features Lawrence Hugh Burns on what it takes to do freelance and professional illustration.

You’ll also learn:

  • How Lawrence went from mowing lawns to becoming a professional illustrator
  • Two tips on how to price freelance work
  • The top three skills every professional illustrator needs

Episode 5: Colin Jack on How to Become a Story Artist at DreamWorks Animation

This episode of the Animation Industry Podcast features DreamWorks Animation’s Colin Jack on what it takes to become a story artist on feature-length films.

You’ll also learn:

  • How to stay competitive in an ever-changing industry
  • Three practical tips to make connections with industry professionals
  • What impact Instagram followers have on your professional career
  • Get in touch with Colin through his Instagram

Episode 4: Dodge Greenley On How To Become A Super Rad Storyboard Artist

This episode of the Animation Industry Podcast features Cartoon Network’s Dodge Greenley on how to become a super rad storyboard artist.

You’ll also learn:

  • The number one skill every storyboard artist needs to climb the ranks
  • How to board the 3-act story formula every TV episode goes through
  • What to show in your portfolio when applying to storyboard artist jobs
  • Get in touch with Dodge and see his ridiculous comics on his Instagram

Episode 3: Ryan Quincy On Creating and Running Successful Animation Television Shows

This episode of the Animation Industry Podcast features Emmy award winning South Park producer Ryan Quincy on how to create and run a successful animated television show.

You’ll also learn:

  • How Ryan began his career without going to animation school
  • The biggest mistake creators make when pitching shows to networks
  • The number one thing students need to focus on to become a successful producer or show creator

Episode 2: Fred Seibert on How to Pitch a Show

This episode features Fred Seibert, founder of Frederator Studios, on how to create your own show. You’ll also learn:

  • The number one thing that makes a successful creator and a successful pitch
  • The top three skills show creators need to have
  • The biggest myth that everyone believes about pitching a show

Episode 1: Brett Jubinville On How to Create Your Own Show

This episode features Brett Jubinville, creator of Super Science Friends, on how to create your own show. You’ll also learn:

  • The process Super Science Friends went through from concept to production
  • The three most important skills you need to be hired at a small animation studio
  • The ins and outs of pitching a show to Netflix

Looking for More Great Animation Podcasts?

If you’re looking for other great animation podcasts, I also compiled a list of every animation podcast that exists! The list contains over 50 current and discontinued animation podcasts filled with TV show reviews, news, interviews, and software tips.

Here it is: Every Animation Podcast in One Big List (50+)

Happy listening!